Lyn
Lyn was the 10579th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 9 babies. Its best year was 1953, when it ranked 534th; the most babies were born in 1957 (280). Over the last ten years it has moved up 5,071 places. More babies were named Lyn in the 1950s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Lynn) lake or pool (surname) · English, Welsh
- Rank in 2025
- #10,579 girls, up 6,006 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 9girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 1957280 babies
- Total since 1880
- 8,781babies recorded
What does the name Lyn mean?
Lyn is a spelling of Lynn, pronounced the same way, so it shares Lynn's meaning and origin.
Lynn is an English surname and place name, as in King's Lynn in Norfolk, generally derived from Welsh or Brittonic llyn 'lake, pool' (or Old English hlynn 'torrent'). Wiktionary lists it as a boys' name usually used as a middle name; as a girls' name it is often a short form of Linda or Carolyn and was very common as a middle name in the mid-20th century.
llyn (Welsh, “lake, pool”)
How sure is this? Probable. The place-name origin is standard; for girls the name is often a short form instead.
Related names: Lynne, Linda, Carolyn.
See also: Welsh names, names that mean water, names from places.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Lynn', Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- Wiktionary, entry 'llyn' (Welsh section), Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
Lyn popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Rank (boys) | Babies (girls) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #10,579 | — | 9 | — |
| 2020 | #16,585 | — | 5 | — |
| 2010 | #12,992 | — | 8 | — |
| 2000 | #16,534 | — | 5 | — |
| 1990 | #4,181 | #6,887 | 24 | 7 |
| 1980 | #2,569 | #4,777 | 37 | 8 |
| 1970 | #1,115 | #1,774 | 106 | 25 |
| 1960 | #693 | #1,377 | 216 | 34 |
| 1950 | #631 | #882 | 182 | 61 |
| 1940 | #940 | #1,301 | 59 | 27 |
| 1930 | #2,379 | #2,922 | 14 | 9 |
| 1920 | — | #4,094 | — | 6 |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
How popular is Lyn, counting every spelling?
Lyn is a spelling of Lynn, a name family that ranked #1,679 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #10,579 for Lyn on its own. Together these spellings went to 107 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lynn | 69 | #2,558 | 303 |
| Linh | 16 | #7,008 | 61 |
| Lynne | 6 | #14,259 | 42 |
| Lin | 7 | #12,636 | 35 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Lyn?
9 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Lyn (0.00 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Lyn born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 930 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Lyn.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Lyn?
About 5,500 people born in the US named Lyn are alive today, with a median age of 67; half are between 58 and 73. That makes Lyn a name most people associate with older generations.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Lyn by state
How common Lyn was among girls born in each state in 1955–1959, around its peak. It is notably more common than nationally in Massachusetts (2.4×), California (1.9×), Connecticut (1.7×). In 19 states fewer than five girls a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Lyn: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Lyn, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Lyn
What does Lyn mean?
Lyn is a spelling of Lynn, which means “lake or pool (surname)” (English, Welsh origin). Certainty: probable.
How popular is the name Lyn?
Lyn was the 10579th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 9 babies. Its best year was 1953, when it ranked 534th; the most babies were born in 1957 (280). Over the last ten years it has moved up 5,071 places. More babies were named Lyn in the 1950s than in any other decade.
Is Lyn a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Lyn in the US.
Where was Lyn most popular?
In 1955–1959, Lyn was most common in Massachusetts (0.30 per 1,000 girls), followed by California and Connecticut.