Baby Names US
Unisex name ★ peaked 1959

Lin

Meaning A male or female given name Gender Unisex · 55% girls Rank 2025 #12,636

A male or female given name.

Rank 2025
#12,636
among girls · ↑1,886 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
7
named Lin
How common
1 in 229,610
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1959
59 babies
All-time total
1,897
#7,334 all-time among girls
First recorded
1898
in Social Security records

Lin popularity over time

1,897 babies have been named Lin since 1898, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.010.030.040.0518801900192019401960198020002020GirlsBoys
GirlsBoys

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – – – –
1890s – 5 5 1 – –
1900s – – – – – –
1910s 5 32 37 4 – #4,982
1920s – 75 75 8 +103% –
1930s 23 66 89 9 +19% #3,645
1940s 133 153 286 29 +221% #2,049
1950s 269 205 474 47 +66% #1,667
1960s 166 142 308 31 -35% #1,940
1970s 45 38 83 8 -73% #5,800
1980s 81 37 118 12 +42% #4,870
1990s 76 8 84 8 -29% #7,824
2000s 113 32 145 15 +73% #6,777
2010s 80 45 125 13 -14% #8,415
2020s (to 2025) 43 25 68 11 -9% #10,112

The story of Lin

Lin is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #12,636 in 2025 with 7 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1898, 1,897 American babies have been named Lin, about 55% girls and 45% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1959, when 59 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1950s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Lin stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Lin?

The median living Lin is about 61 years old; half are between 28 and 70. An estimated 1,400 people named Lin are alive in the United States today.

median 61 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Lin year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls rank Boys Boys rank
2025 7 #12,636 – –
2024 6 #14,522 5 #13,453
2023 5 #16,605 9 #8,648
2022 10 #10,112 5 #13,553
2021 7 #12,955 6 #11,590
2020 8 #11,696 – –
2019 13 #8,415 – –
2018 5 #17,121 – –
2017 5 #17,369 – –
2016 9 #11,411 5 #13,424
2015 6 #15,624 6 #11,560
2014 12 #9,306 5 #13,272
2013 7 #14,038 7 #10,310
2012 10 #10,932 5 #13,443
2011 5 #18,420 8 #9,279
2010 8 #12,978 9 #8,529
2009 10 #11,148 6 #11,891
2008 5 #19,289 8 #9,525
2007 11 #10,544 – –
2006 9 #12,010 6 #11,498
2005 16 #7,351 – –
2004 16 #7,268 6 #10,812
2003 17 #6,777 – –
2002 7 #13,033 – –
2001 12 #8,520 6 #10,044
2000 10 #9,589 – –
1995 10 #8,459 – –
1990 6 #12,254 8 #6,185
1985 11 #6,284 5 #7,153
1980 15 #4,870 5 #6,856
1975 6 #8,590 6 #5,186
1970 6 #7,575 6 #4,532
1965 11 #4,086 9 #2,906
1960 35 #1,940 16 #2,091
1955 31 #1,930 20 #1,762
1950 20 #2,220 17 #1,857
1945 7 #3,859 16 #1,738
1940 10 #2,872 10 #2,418
1935 – – 6 #3,478
1930 5 #4,938 10 #2,709
1925 – – 11 #2,683
1920 – – – –
1915 – – – –
1910 – – – –
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Famous people named Lin

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Lin Biao Lin Biao Chinese marshal and politician (1907–1971) Contemporary
  2. 2 Lin Zexu Lin Zexu Chinese scholar-official (1785–1850) 18th century
  3. 3 Lin Yutang Lin Yutang Chinese writer, inventor, and linguist (1895–1976) 19th century
  4. 4 Lin Shaye Lin Shaye American actress (born 1943) Contemporary
  5. 5 Lin Xin King of the Shang dynasty of China -1300–-1220 · Antiquity
  6. 6 Lin Sen Lin Sen Chairman of the National Government of China from 1931 to 1943 1868–1943 · 19th century
  7. 7 Lin Huiyin Lin Huiyin Chinese architect and writer (1904–1955) Contemporary
  8. 8 Lin Shu Lin Shu Chinese writer (1852–1924) 19th century
  9. 9 Lin Chi-ling Lin Chi-ling Taiwanese actress and model (born 1974) Contemporary
  10. 10 Lin Chuan Lin Chuan Premier of Taiwan from 2016 to 2017 b. 1951 · Contemporary
  11. 11 Lin Dan Lin Dan Chinese badminton player (born 1983) Contemporary
  12. 12 Lin Yue Lin Yue Chinese diver b. 1991 · Contemporary
  13. 13 Lin Qingfeng Lin Qingfeng Chinese weightlifter (born 1989) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Lin, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Lin?

The median living Lin is about 61 years old. Half of all living Lins are between 28 and 70 years old.

How many people named Lin are alive today?

An estimated 1,400 people named Lin are alive in the United States, based on 1,897 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Lin mean?

A male or female given name.

How popular is the name Lin in 2025?

Lin ranked #12,636 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 7 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Lin?

1,897 babies have been named Lin in the United States since 1898, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Lin most popular?

Lin peaked in 1959, when 59 newborns received the name.

Is Lin a boy or girl name?

Lin is used for both: about 55% of babies named Lin have been girls and 45% boys.

Is the name Lin rising or falling?

Lin is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Lin?

Well-known people named Lin include Lin Biao (politician), Lin Zexu (politician), Lin Yutang (writer).

Names like Lin

Names that sound and feel close to Lin: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Lin with similar names → More names starting with L →