Fun Facts About the Name Lyn
- More than 8 thousand babies named Lyn: U.S. records list 8,781 babies given the name Lyn from 1880 through 2025. Of these, 1,561 boys received the name Lyn - about 1 boy for every 5 girls.
What Does the Name Lyn Mean?
Lyn is usually explained as coming from the Welsh word llyn, meaning 'lake' or 'pool.' That word is common in Welsh place names, and the English and Welsh surname Lynn is generally traced to a lake, a pool, or a similar body of water. A second possible source for places named Lynn is the Old English hlinc, 'hill' or 'rising ground.' Because the two words can end up spelled the same way in modern English, the exact origin behind any single place name is not always certain.
As a personal name, Lyn also serves as a short form of longer names that end in the sound -lyn or -lin, including Marilyn, Carolyn, Evelyn, and Gwendolyn, as well as Linda. In those cases it carries no meaning of its own; it is simply the clipped ending of whichever name it shortens.
Lyn Name History & Origins
Lyn is a shortened spelling of Lynn, which was in use as an English surname long before it became a first name. The surname came from place names: some named for a lake or pool, from Welsh llyn, and others for a hill, from Old English hlinc. Places called Lynn exist in both Wales and England, which is part of why the two explanations survive side by side.
Lynn began to be used as a given name in the English-speaking world in the 1800s, and the simpler spelling Lyn appeared alongside it. Both forms were given to boys and girls at first, though they became far more common for girls during the 1900s. Lyn also became a familiar Welsh short form in its own right, and it spread further as a nickname for names ending in -lyn.
How Popular is the Name Lyn?
Lyn recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 1957. Its best rank was #534 in 1953.
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 | #10,579 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 2024 | #11,697 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2022 | #14,614 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2020 | #16,574 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2017 | #13,543 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2016 | #12,440 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2015 | #15,648 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2013 | #18,209 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2012 | #14,414 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2011 | #14,219 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2010 | #12,991 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2009 | #16,442 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2008 | #16,671 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2007 | #19,357 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2006 | #10,336 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2005 | #13,885 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2004 | #9,634 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2003 | #13,275 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2002 | #14,686 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2001 | #10,640 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2000 | #16,534 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1999 | #15,845 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1998 | #6,574 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1997 | #7,115 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1996 | #14,860 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1995 | #7,853 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1994 | #6,524 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1993 | #6,884 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1992 | #6,515 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1991 | #6,830 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1990 | #4,181 | 24 | 0.0013% |
| 1989 | #4,777 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 1988 | #4,766 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1987 | #3,585 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 1986 | #5,344 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1985 | #4,372 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1984 | #3,814 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 1983 | #2,951 | 29 | 0.0017% |
| 1982 | #2,873 | 32 | 0.0019% |
| 1981 | #2,472 | 39 | 0.0023% |
| 1980 | #2,569 | 37 | 0.0022% |
| 1979 | #2,038 | 50 | 0.0031% |
| 1978 | #2,291 | 40 | 0.0026% |
| 1977 | #2,011 | 48 | 0.0031% |
| 1976 | #1,827 | 51 | 0.0035% |
| 1975 | #1,455 | 71 | 0.0049% |
| 1974 | #1,589 | 60 | 0.0041% |
| 1973 | #1,283 | 81 | 0.0056% |
| 1972 | #1,271 | 81 | 0.0053% |
| 1971 | #1,091 | 111 | 0.0067% |
| 1970 | #1,115 | 106 | 0.0061% |
| 1969 | #988 | 120 | 0.0071% |
| 1968 | #937 | 122 | 0.0074% |
| 1967 | #840 | 145 | 0.0088% |
| 1966 | #878 | 131 | 0.0077% |
| 1965 | #783 | 161 | 0.0091% |
| 1964 | #733 | 201 | 0.0106% |
| 1963 | #729 | 198 | 0.0103% |
| 1962 | #597 | 279 | 0.0142% |
| 1961 | #711 | 214 | 0.0106% |
| 1960 | #693 | 216 | 0.0107% |
| 1959 | #707 | 200 | 0.0099% |
| 1958 | #638 | 238 | 0.0118% |
| 1957 | #577 | 280 | 0.0137% |
| 1956 | #564 | 277 | 0.0138% |
| 1955 | #554 | 268 | 0.0137% |
| 1954 | #536 | 274 | 0.0141% |
| 1953 | #534 | 261 | 0.0139% |
| 1952 | #547 | 245 | 0.0132% |
| 1951 | #575 | 223 | 0.0124% |
| 1950 | #631 | 182 | 0.0106% |
| 1949 | #594 | 195 | 0.0114% |
| 1948 | #588 | 200 | 0.0118% |
| 1947 | #569 | 225 | 0.0127% |
| 1946 | #554 | 204 | 0.0130% |
| 1945 | #619 | 138 | 0.0106% |
| 1944 | #661 | 125 | 0.0094% |
| 1943 | #760 | 104 | 0.0075% |
| 1942 | #895 | 77 | 0.0057% |
| 1941 | #952 | 60 | 0.0050% |
| 1940 | #940 | 59 | 0.0052% |
| 1939 | #985 | 52 | 0.0047% |
| 1938 | #1,241 | 35 | 0.0032% |
| 1937 | #1,296 | 32 | 0.0030% |
| 1936 | #1,575 | 23 | 0.0022% |
| 1935 | #1,749 | 20 | 0.0019% |
| 1934 | #1,393 | 28 | 0.0027% |
| 1933 | #1,885 | 18 | 0.0018% |
| 1932 | #1,922 | 18 | 0.0017% |
| 1931 | #1,482 | 26 | 0.0024% |
| 1930 | #2,379 | 14 | 0.0012% |
| 1929 | #2,260 | 15 | 0.0013% |
| 1928 | #2,461 | 14 | 0.0012% |
| 1927 | #2,639 | 13 | 0.0011% |
| 1926 | #2,654 | 13 | 0.0011% |
| 1925 | #4,748 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1924 | #2,759 | 13 | 0.0010% |
| 1921 | #4,838 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1918 | #4,612 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1917 | #2,995 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1915 | #3,032 | 9 | 0.0009% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | #7,455 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1993 | #9,605 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1990 | #6,887 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1989 | #7,548 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1987 | #7,682 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1985 | #4,990 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1984 | #6,945 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1983 | #6,909 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1982 | #4,118 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1981 | #5,266 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1980 | #4,777 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1979 | #3,725 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1978 | #4,412 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1977 | #4,039 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1976 | #3,890 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 1975 | #3,173 | 12 | 0.0008% |
| 1974 | #3,472 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1973 | #2,370 | 17 | 0.0011% |
| 1972 | #2,613 | 14 | 0.0009% |
| 1971 | #1,582 | 31 | 0.0018% |
| 1970 | #1,775 | 25 | 0.0013% |
| 1969 | #1,548 | 28 | 0.0016% |
| 1968 | #1,060 | 49 | 0.0028% |
| 1967 | #1,794 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1966 | #1,674 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 1965 | #1,580 | 25 | 0.0013% |
| 1964 | #1,342 | 35 | 0.0018% |
| 1963 | #1,393 | 32 | 0.0016% |
| 1962 | #1,696 | 23 | 0.0011% |
| 1961 | #1,380 | 34 | 0.0016% |
| 1960 | #1,378 | 34 | 0.0016% |
| 1959 | #1,179 | 44 | 0.0021% |
| 1958 | #1,524 | 27 | 0.0013% |
| 1957 | #1,339 | 35 | 0.0016% |
| 1956 | #1,199 | 41 | 0.0019% |
| 1955 | #1,265 | 36 | 0.0017% |
| 1954 | #1,003 | 56 | 0.0027% |
| 1953 | #1,018 | 51 | 0.0026% |
| 1952 | #1,089 | 45 | 0.0023% |
| 1951 | #1,104 | 43 | 0.0023% |
| 1950 | #882 | 61 | 0.0034% |
| 1949 | #1,090 | 42 | 0.0024% |
| 1948 | #1,069 | 44 | 0.0025% |
| 1947 | #912 | 59 | 0.0032% |
| 1946 | #949 | 50 | 0.0031% |
| 1945 | #1,259 | 28 | 0.0021% |
| 1944 | #1,098 | 37 | 0.0027% |
| 1943 | #1,298 | 29 | 0.0020% |
| 1942 | #1,345 | 27 | 0.0020% |
| 1941 | #1,101 | 36 | 0.0029% |
| 1940 | #1,301 | 27 | 0.0023% |
| 1939 | #1,312 | 26 | 0.0023% |
| 1938 | #1,661 | 18 | 0.0016% |
| 1937 | #1,563 | 20 | 0.0019% |
| 1936 | #1,577 | 19 | 0.0018% |
| 1935 | #2,480 | 10 | 0.0010% |
| 1934 | #1,706 | 18 | 0.0017% |
| 1933 | #2,473 | 10 | 0.0010% |
| 1932 | #3,004 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1931 | #2,796 | 9 | 0.0009% |
| 1930 | #2,922 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1928 | #3,974 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1927 | #3,662 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1926 | #4,014 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1923 | #4,080 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1921 | #2,911 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1920 | #4,094 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1919 | #3,999 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1917 | #3,814 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1916 | #3,732 | 6 | 0.0007% |
| 1915 | #3,676 | 6 | 0.0007% |
| 1914 | #3,564 | 5 | 0.0008% |
| 1896 | #1,201 | 5 | 0.0042% |
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.
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How the Name Lyn Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You always bring to completion anything you start. You are generous but like to see returns from your giving. You have an executive ability, you are a leader. You are moral, balanced, honest and intellectual, and you may attain spirituality. You are wise and practical with an appreciation of beauty. You always think before you act. You are inventive, intuitive and extremely methodical. Since your will is so strong, you are hard to convince. You also dislike advice. You love beauty and philosophy, and you desire achievement. You have a strong need for freedom - physical, mental and spiritual.
You find the best contentment in life when you own your own home and provide well for your family and loved ones. You have a great sense of responsibility and duty. You are comforting, appreciative and affectionate. Your obligation in life is to hold justice and truth, and if you follow the Law, you can find the great happiness and satisfaction.
✦ Lyn's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Lyn's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.