Fun Facts About the Name Lin
- More than 1 thousand babies named Lin: U.S. records list 1,897 babies given the name Lin from 1880 through 2025. Even 863 boys received the name Lin.
What Does the Name Lin Mean?
Lin is a Chinese name with meanings that depend on the character used: 林 means "forest" or "woods," 琳 means "fine jade," 霖 means "continuous rain," and 麟 refers to a mythical animal often translated as "unicorn." In Mandarin the name is pronounced lín. 林 is best known as a surname, but it also occurs as a given name; the other characters are used mainly in given names. Because romanized Lin does not show the character or tone, the spelling alone does not identify the meaning.
In English, Lin is also used as a short form of Linda or as a variant spelling of Lynn. In that use it has no separate etymological meaning; it depends on the name it shortens or varies from.
Lin Name History & Origins
For Chinese Lin, the character 林 is an old word for a forest and an old surname. It is pronounced Lin in Mandarin, Lam in Cantonese, and Lim in Hokkien; those are regional pronunciations of the same character, not separate names. The name Lin can also be written with other characters, so the English spelling does not show whether a person's name is 林, 琳, 霖, or another character. The written form, not the romanization, carries the meaning.
In English, Lin is a shortened form of Linda or a spelling of Lynn. It is used as a given name in English-speaking countries, but its English history belongs to Linda and Lynn rather than to the Chinese name. The identical spelling is coincidental; Chinese Lin and English Lin do not share an origin.
How Popular is the Name Lin?
Lin has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 1952. Its best rank was #1,233 in 1898.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #12,636 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2024 | #14,471 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2023 | #16,594 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2022 | #10,102 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2021 | #12,949 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2020 | #11,690 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2019 | #8,413 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 2018 | #17,114 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2017 | #17,363 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2016 | #11,410 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2015 | #15,622 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2014 | #9,305 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2013 | #14,037 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2012 | #10,928 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2011 | #18,419 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2010 | #12,977 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2009 | #11,145 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2008 | #19,285 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2007 | #10,543 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2006 | #12,009 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2005 | #7,351 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2004 | #7,268 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2003 | #6,777 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 2002 | #13,033 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2001 | #8,520 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2000 | #9,589 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1999 | #9,208 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1998 | #13,403 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1997 | #11,536 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1996 | #12,777 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1995 | #8,459 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1994 | #11,254 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1993 | #7,822 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1992 | #10,039 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1991 | #14,435 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1990 | #12,254 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1989 | #11,700 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1988 | #9,880 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1986 | #7,462 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1985 | #6,284 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1984 | #9,831 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1983 | #6,482 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1982 | #6,642 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1981 | #8,639 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1980 | #4,870 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 1976 | #7,755 | 7 | 0.0005% |
| 1975 | #8,591 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1974 | #9,555 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1973 | #7,973 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1972 | #7,794 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1971 | #5,801 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1970 | #7,575 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1969 | #4,892 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1968 | #4,366 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 1967 | #3,964 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1966 | #3,466 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1965 | #4,086 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1964 | #3,444 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1963 | #2,744 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 1962 | #2,635 | 22 | 0.0011% |
| 1961 | #3,408 | 15 | 0.0007% |
| 1960 | #1,939 | 35 | 0.0017% |
| 1959 | #2,039 | 31 | 0.0015% |
| 1958 | #2,542 | 21 | 0.0010% |
| 1957 | #1,888 | 34 | 0.0017% |
| 1956 | #2,678 | 19 | 0.0009% |
| 1955 | #1,930 | 31 | 0.0016% |
| 1954 | #2,004 | 28 | 0.0014% |
| 1953 | #1,992 | 27 | 0.0014% |
| 1952 | #1,667 | 35 | 0.0019% |
| 1951 | #2,090 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 1950 | #2,220 | 20 | 0.0012% |
| 1949 | #2,249 | 20 | 0.0012% |
| 1948 | #2,049 | 23 | 0.0014% |
| 1947 | #2,321 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1946 | #2,816 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 1945 | #3,859 | 7 | 0.0005% |
| 1944 | #2,708 | 12 | 0.0009% |
| 1943 | #3,676 | 8 | 0.0006% |
| 1942 | #3,324 | 9 | 0.0007% |
| 1941 | #2,605 | 12 | 0.0010% |
| 1940 | #2,872 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1939 | #4,047 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1938 | #4,695 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1937 | #3,645 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1930 | #4,938 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1917 | #4,982 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | #13,399 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2023 | #8,644 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2022 | #13,544 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2021 | #11,581 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2016 | #13,421 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2015 | #11,557 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2014 | #13,267 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2013 | #10,307 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2012 | #13,441 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2011 | #9,278 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2010 | #8,529 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2009 | #11,891 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2008 | #9,525 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2006 | #11,496 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2004 | #10,811 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2001 | #10,044 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1990 | #6,185 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1989 | #8,702 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1988 | #8,031 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1987 | #6,621 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1986 | #6,403 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1985 | #7,154 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1981 | #6,879 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1980 | #6,856 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1977 | #5,562 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1975 | #5,186 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1974 | #4,441 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1973 | #4,332 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1971 | #4,711 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1970 | #4,532 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1969 | #2,792 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1968 | #2,401 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1967 | #2,422 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1966 | #2,101 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1965 | #2,906 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1964 | #2,497 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1963 | #2,166 | 15 | 0.0007% |
| 1962 | #1,933 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 1961 | #1,802 | 21 | 0.0010% |
| 1960 | #2,090 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 1959 | #1,517 | 28 | 0.0013% |
| 1958 | #1,934 | 18 | 0.0008% |
| 1957 | #2,064 | 16 | 0.0007% |
| 1956 | #1,627 | 24 | 0.0011% |
| 1955 | #1,762 | 20 | 0.0010% |
| 1954 | #1,936 | 17 | 0.0008% |
| 1953 | #1,469 | 27 | 0.0014% |
| 1952 | #1,835 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 1951 | #1,711 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1950 | #1,857 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 1949 | #1,992 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1948 | #1,742 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1947 | #1,763 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 1946 | #1,996 | 14 | 0.0009% |
| 1945 | #1,738 | 16 | 0.0012% |
| 1944 | #1,858 | 15 | 0.0011% |
| 1943 | #1,676 | 19 | 0.0013% |
| 1942 | #1,774 | 17 | 0.0012% |
| 1941 | #2,581 | 9 | 0.0007% |
| 1940 | #2,418 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1939 | #3,002 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1937 | #3,827 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1936 | #2,762 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1935 | #3,478 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1934 | #3,520 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1933 | #2,886 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1932 | #2,403 | 11 | 0.0011% |
| 1931 | #4,100 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1930 | #2,709 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1929 | #3,426 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1928 | #2,975 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1927 | #3,049 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1926 | #3,282 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1925 | #2,683 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1924 | #3,699 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1923 | #2,540 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1922 | #3,722 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1921 | #4,702 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1919 | #3,022 | 9 | 0.0009% |
| 1918 | #4,534 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1917 | #3,798 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1916 | #3,369 | 7 | 0.0008% |
| 1913 | #3,075 | 5 | 0.0010% |
| 1898 | #1,233 | 5 | 0.0041% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
