Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 2017

Linus

Gender Boy Rank 2025 #1,913 Trend ↓ Falling 12%

From Latin Linus, Ancient Greek Λῖνος (Lînos), of uncertain meaning.

Rank 2025
#1,913
among boys · ↓488 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
82
named Linus · -36% vs 2024
How common
1 in 20,830
boys born in 2025
Peak year
2017
166 babies
All-time total
5,342
#1,719 all-time among boys
First recorded
1882
in Social Security records

Linus popularity over time

5,342 babies have been named Linus since 1882, 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
0.030.050.080.118801900192019401960198020002020Peak 2017Boys

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 Boys Per year Change Best rank
1880s 31 3 – #625
1890s 26 3 -16% #882
1900s 24 2 -8% #1,043
1910s 340 34 +1317% #889
1920s 504 50 +48% #847
1930s 324 32 -36% #1,022
1940s 340 34 +5% #958
1950s 281 28 -17% #1,313
1960s 234 23 -17% #1,374
1970s 138 14 -41% #2,025
1980s 106 11 -23% #2,799
1990s 217 22 +105% #1,981
2000s 693 69 +219% #1,460
2010s 1,396 140 +101% #1,147
2020s (to 2025) 688 115 -18% #1,405

Where Linus is heading

A five-year projection from the recent trend in births per 1,000 boys (damped so it flattens over time), converted to babies at today's birth totals. The implied rank places that projection in the 2025 field. A projection, not a promise: real trends bend.

Year Projected babies Per 1,000 boys Implied rank
2026 80 0.05 outside top 500
2027 78 0.05 outside top 500
2028 76 0.04 outside top 500
2029 75 0.04 outside top 500
2030 74 0.04 outside top 500

Where Linus is most popular

Boys named Linus per 1,000 boys born in each state, 2021–2025. National average: 0.065 per 1,000. Strongest in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan.

Vs national average
well below below near national above well above no data

All 50 states and DC, sorted by rate. Counts are boys named Linus born 2021–2025; the per-1,000 rate makes states of different sizes comparable, and the last column shows each state against the national average.

State Boys 2021–2025 Per 1,000 vs national
Minnesota 26 0.212 +225%
Wisconsin 19 0.160 +146%
Michigan 21 0.103 +57%
Indiana 11 0.069 +5%
Pennsylvania 18 0.068 ≈ national
Oregon 5 0.066 ≈ national
New York 24 0.055 -15%
California 50 0.055 -16%
Washington 8 0.049 -25%
Illinois 11 0.043 -34%
Maryland 5 0.042 -36%
Ohio 11 0.042 -36%
Texas 36 0.041 -37%
Arizona 6 0.037 -44%
North Carolina 7 0.027 -58%
Virginia 5 0.026 -60%
Alaska – – –
Alabama – – –
Arkansas – – –
Colorado – – –
Connecticut – – –
District of Columbia – – –
Delaware – – –
Florida – – –
Georgia – – –
Hawaii – – –
Iowa – – –
Idaho – – –
Kansas – – –
Kentucky – – –
Louisiana – – –
Massachusetts – – –
Maine – – –
Missouri – – –
Mississippi – – –
Montana – – –
North Dakota – – –
Nebraska – – –
New Hampshire – – –
New Jersey – – –
New Mexico – – –
Nevada – – –
Oklahoma – – –
Rhode Island – – –
South Carolina – – –
South Dakota – – –
Tennessee – – –
Utah – – –
Vermont – – –
West Virginia – – –
Wyoming – – –

State counts come from the Social Security Administration's state files, which omit any state-year with fewer than five babies of a name, so small states can undercount slightly.

The story of Linus

Linus is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #1,913 in 2025 with 82 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1882, 5,342 American babies have been named Linus. Its peak came in 2017, when 166 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 2010s.

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 Linus stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Linus?

The median living Linus is about 14 years old; half are between 8 and 29. An estimated 3,800 people named Linus are alive in the United States today.

median 14 020406080100

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

Linus year by year

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

Year Boys Boys rank
2025 82 #1,913
2024 129 #1,425
2023 114 #1,542
2022 126 #1,442
2021 113 #1,550
2020 124 #1,405
2019 112 #1,520
2018 147 #1,259
2017 166 #1,147
2016 131 #1,363
2015 163 #1,155
2014 163 #1,160
2013 130 #1,325
2012 141 #1,257
2011 126 #1,349
2010 117 #1,420
2009 111 #1,508
2008 113 #1,460
2007 91 #1,679
2006 66 #2,027
2005 66 #1,935
2004 63 #1,946
2003 50 #2,193
2002 41 #2,458
2001 44 #2,297
2000 48 #2,113
1995 18 #3,641
1990 15 #3,894
1985 8 #4,984
1980 17 #2,799
1975 14 #2,843
1970 14 #2,585
1965 21 #1,758
1960 34 #1,374
1955 31 #1,388
1950 28 #1,382
1945 32 #1,175
1940 45 #958
1935 36 #1,089
1930 34 #1,227
1925 54 #919
1920 55 #936
1915 47 #911
1910 8 #1,268
1905 7 #1,043
1900 6 #1,253
1895 5 #1,182
1890 – –
1885 5 #1,026
1880 – –

Famous people named Linus

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

  1. 1 Linus Torvalds Linus Torvalds Finnish and American software engineer (born 1969) Contemporary
  2. 2 Linus Roache Linus Roache British actor (born 1964) Contemporary
  3. 3 Linus Pauling Linus Pauling American scientist and activist (1901–1994) Contemporary
  4. 4 Linus Omark Linus Omark Swedish ice hockey player (born 1987) Contemporary
  5. 5 Linus Gerdemann Linus Gerdemann German cyclist b. 1982 · Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Linus?

The median living Linus is about 14 years old. Half of all living Linuss are between 8 and 29 years old.

How many people named Linus are alive today?

An estimated 3,800 people named Linus are alive in the United States, based on 5,342 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Linus mean?

From Latin Linus, Ancient Greek Λῖνος (Lînos), of uncertain meaning.

How popular is the name Linus in 2025?

Linus ranked #1,913 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 82 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Linus?

5,342 babies have been named Linus in the United States since 1882, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Linus most popular?

Linus peaked in 2017, when 166 newborns received the name.

Is Linus a boy or girl name?

Linus is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Linus rising or falling?

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

Will Linus become more popular?

Linus is trending downward. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 74 boys named Linus in 2030, which would rank outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Who are famous people named Linus?

Well-known people named Linus include Linus Torvalds (computer scientist), Linus Roache (actor), Linus Pauling (chemist).

Names like Linus

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

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