About the Name Lynn

This Name Has Taken a Contemporary Turn

Baby wearing name tag
Baby wearing name tag. Getty Images/Jamie Grill/Tetra Images

Lynn is a unisex name that first appeared in the 1930s and continued to be an extremely popular name throughout the next three decades or so. There are said to be several origins of the name:

The name Lynn originated as a sort of locational surname in England. It's derived from the Welsh word llyn and the Celtic word lenna, both of which mean "lake." It's also said to have Irish roots. Lynn is a surname that evolved from O'Fhloinn, an Old Gaelic name.

Lynn is also believed to have derived from the Spanish word linda, which means "pretty."

People named Lynn are thought to be cooperative, considerate and sometimes shy. They are trustworthy, respectful and tend to be intuitive.


Lynn first appeared as a boy's name. As a boy's name, it reached the peak of its popularity in 1947 when nearly 1,800 baby boys were named Lynn, but by the mid-1960s, it was fading. The name Lynn took a few years to catch on as a girl's name, but once it did, it proved to have much more lasting power. In 1956 almost 7,800 girls were named Lynn.

It has been a predominantly female name ever since the late 1940s. Popularity of the name Lynn began to fall off during the early '60s and hasn't resurfaced since. According to the Social Security Administration, only 87 girls were named Lynn in 2014. Today it's more popular as a middle name or suffix.

Variations of Lynn

"Lynn" on its own hasn't been a popular name for decades, but it, and its variations, are incorporated into so many other names, particularly girl's name.

Other variations of the name Lynn include Lyn, Lynne and Lynna, and it's also a shortened form of names ending in -lyn or -line. Think: Kaitlin, Caroline, Brooklyn, Madelynn, etc. It's a suffix that adds a bit of flair to an otherwise simple name.

Tacking -lynn onto girl's names has been an increasingly more popular trend in recent years, but "Lynn" on its own hasn't cracked the top 1,000 most popular baby names list in decades.

Here are some contemporary examples that have appeared on the top 1,000:

  1. Kaitlyn
  2. Jocelyn
  3. Evelyn
  4. Brooklyn
  5. Madeline
  6. Katelyn
  7. Madelyn
  8. Ashlyn
  9. Brooklynn
  10. Caitlyn
  11. Joselyn
  12. Ashlynn
  13. Katelynn
  14. Kaelyn
  15. Jaelyn
  16. Madalyn
  17. Madilyn
  18. Jazlyn
  19. Madelynn
  20. Kailyn
  21. Kaitlynn
  22. Marilyn
  23. Jaylynn
  24. Jaelynn
  25. Kaylynn
  26. Carolyn
  27. Sherlyn
  28. Kaylyn
  29. Gwendolyn
  30. Madalynn
  31. Jacquelyn
  32. Joslyn
  33. Jaylyn
  34. Madilynn
  35. Gracelyn
  36. Braelyn
  37. Jazylynn
  38. Adelynn
  39. Jocelynn
  40. Adalyn
  41. Jalynn
  42. Roselyn
  43. Jaclyn
  44. Jailyn
  45. Cailyn
  46. Katlyn
  47. Jacqueline
  48. Jaylen
  49. Caitlin
  50. Joseline
  51. Kaylin
  52. Kaitlin
  53. Yoselin
  54. Jaqueline
  55. Jaylin
  56. Aylin
  57. Evelin
  58. Joselin
  59. Marlen
  60. Helen
  61. Valentina
  62. Helena
  63. Ellen
  64. Jaslene
  65. Kaylen
  66. Belen
  67. Belinda
  68. Linda
  69. Lindsay
  70. Lindsey

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