Fun Facts About the Name Linda
- An established favorite: Linda held a place in the U.S. top 100 for 43 consecutive years, from 1936 through 1978.
- More than 1 million babies named Linda: U.S. records list 1,458,882 babies given the name Linda from 1880 through 2025. Even 3,756 boys received the name Linda - about 1 boy for every 387 girls.
What Does the Name Linda Mean?
Linda has two main established origins. In Germanic naming, it is a short form of names containing the element linde, meaning "soft, tender, or flexible." In Spanish and Portuguese, linda is an adjective meaning "beautiful" or "pretty," and the given name is taken directly from that word. The English name can reflect either background: it has been used as a short form of Belinda (whose own origin is uncertain) and also as an independent name from the Germanic element or from the Romance adjective. The two derivations are usually treated separately rather than as one root.
Linda Name History & Origins
Germanic personal names containing lind- were used in medieval Europe, and the short form Linda developed from such names. It also appeared as a diminutive of Belinda in English. In Spain, Portugal, and Latin America, Linda is used as a given name from the ordinary adjective linda ("beautiful"), a use that is separate from the Germanic one. In the English-speaking world, Linda was in use by the 19th century and remained a familiar given name in the 20th. It appears in modern literature, for instance as the name of John's mother in Aldous Huxley's Brave New World (1932), but that is a later literary use rather than the name's origin.
How Popular is the Name Linda?
Linda remained among the top 100 girl names in the U.S. from 1936 to 1978. Its highest annual birth count was in 1947, and people born that year turn 79 in 2026.
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 | #902 | 294 | 0.0183% |
| 2024 | #835 | 321 | 0.0199% |
| 2023 | #841 | 324 | 0.0202% |
| 2022 | #802 | 352 | 0.0215% |
| 2021 | #845 | 327 | 0.0199% |
| 2020 | #815 | 334 | 0.0207% |
| 2019 | #769 | 362 | 0.0216% |
| 2018 | #718 | 398 | 0.0234% |
| 2017 | #704 | 409 | 0.0237% |
| 2016 | #665 | 443 | 0.0250% |
| 2015 | #666 | 429 | 0.0240% |
| 2014 | #612 | 475 | 0.0266% |
| 2013 | #627 | 447 | 0.0255% |
| 2012 | #634 | 450 | 0.0256% |
| 2011 | #590 | 490 | 0.0279% |
| 2010 | #615 | 480 | 0.0270% |
| 2009 | #551 | 553 | 0.0301% |
| 2008 | #507 | 614 | 0.0325% |
| 2007 | #492 | 662 | 0.0344% |
| 2006 | #451 | 700 | 0.0368% |
| 2005 | #415 | 754 | 0.0408% |
| 2004 | #419 | 731 | 0.0398% |
| 2003 | #409 | 741 | 0.0406% |
| 2002 | #382 | 773 | 0.0430% |
| 2001 | #354 | 839 | 0.0466% |
| 2000 | #357 | 851 | 0.0469% |
| 1999 | #336 | 900 | 0.0507% |
| 1998 | #313 | 972 | 0.0550% |
| 1997 | #264 | 1,099 | 0.0631% |
| 1996 | #293 | 987 | 0.0563% |
| 1995 | #231 | 1,234 | 0.0702% |
| 1994 | #221 | 1,284 | 0.0719% |
| 1993 | #198 | 1,488 | 0.0823% |
| 1992 | #191 | 1,582 | 0.0858% |
| 1991 | #187 | 1,608 | 0.0858% |
| 1990 | #175 | 1,661 | 0.0875% |
| 1989 | #157 | 1,845 | 0.1001% |
| 1988 | #155 | 1,845 | 0.1036% |
| 1987 | #142 | 1,931 | 0.1111% |
| 1986 | #148 | 1,950 | 0.1137% |
| 1985 | #137 | 2,115 | 0.1229% |
| 1984 | #119 | 2,336 | 0.1387% |
| 1983 | #119 | 2,476 | 0.1482% |
| 1982 | #107 | 2,791 | 0.1648% |
| 1981 | #111 | 2,729 | 0.1636% |
| 1980 | #110 | 2,806 | 0.1690% |
| 1979 | #114 | 2,740 | 0.1707% |
| 1978 | #100 | 2,930 | 0.1913% |
| 1977 | #99 | 2,912 | 0.1899% |
| 1976 | #90 | 3,138 | 0.2142% |
| 1975 | #81 | 3,522 | 0.2416% |
| 1974 | #75 | 4,077 | 0.2778% |
| 1973 | #61 | 4,731 | 0.3244% |
| 1972 | #51 | 5,743 | 0.3775% |
| 1971 | #42 | 7,376 | 0.4433% |
| 1970 | #38 | 8,730 | 0.4994% |
| 1969 | #33 | 10,246 | 0.6073% |
| 1968 | #28 | 11,371 | 0.6932% |
| 1967 | #26 | 13,196 | 0.7993% |
| 1966 | #18 | 15,564 | 0.9198% |
| 1965 | #8 | 19,343 | 1.0958% |
| 1964 | #8 | 23,632 | 1.2472% |
| 1963 | #5 | 27,723 | 1.4384% |
| 1962 | #5 | 31,463 | 1.5998% |
| 1961 | #4 | 35,592 | 1.7634% |
| 1960 | #3 | 37,315 | 1.8455% |
| 1959 | #3 | 40,412 | 1.9972% |
| 1958 | #3 | 41,905 | 2.0832% |
| 1957 | #3 | 44,515 | 2.1769% |
| 1956 | #3 | 48,085 | 2.3950% |
| 1955 | #3 | 51,300 | 2.6237% |
| 1954 | #2 | 55,371 | 2.8514% |
| 1953 | #2 | 61,281 | 3.2573% |
| 1952 | #1 | 67,081 | 3.6175% |
| 1951 | #1 | 73,982 | 4.1081% |
| 1950 | #1 | 80,431 | 4.6952% |
| 1949 | #1 | 91,016 | 5.3199% |
| 1948 | #1 | 96,216 | 5.6668% |
| 1947 | #1 | 99,693 | 5.6236% |
| 1946 | #2 | 52,710 | 3.3546% |
| 1945 | #2 | 41,465 | 3.1723% |
| 1944 | #3 | 38,415 | 2.8944% |
| 1943 | #4 | 38,439 | 2.7549% |
| 1942 | #4 | 31,614 | 2.3406% |
| 1941 | #5 | 23,721 | 1.9635% |
| 1940 | #8 | 18,369 | 1.6064% |
| 1939 | #15 | 10,713 | 0.9769% |
| 1938 | #31 | 7,047 | 0.6386% |
| 1937 | #49 | 4,378 | 0.4115% |
| 1936 | #97 | 2,440 | 0.2345% |
| 1935 | #165 | 1,197 | 0.1142% |
| 1934 | #182 | 1,000 | 0.0958% |
| 1933 | #216 | 782 | 0.0776% |
| 1932 | #219 | 774 | 0.0725% |
| 1931 | #269 | 535 | 0.0502% |
| 1930 | #299 | 492 | 0.0437% |
| 1929 | #289 | 509 | 0.0456% |
| 1928 | #278 | 555 | 0.0481% |
| 1927 | #295 | 516 | 0.0433% |
| 1926 | #305 | 480 | 0.0405% |
| 1925 | #320 | 438 | 0.0360% |
| 1924 | #314 | 454 | 0.0364% |
| 1923 | #313 | 423 | 0.0351% |
| 1922 | #339 | 365 | 0.0304% |
| 1921 | #341 | 367 | 0.0298% |
| 1920 | #353 | 348 | 0.0290% |
| 1919 | #386 | 282 | 0.0250% |
| 1918 | #359 | 322 | 0.0278% |
| 1917 | #370 | 291 | 0.0269% |
| 1916 | #356 | 297 | 0.0284% |
| 1915 | #349 | 290 | 0.0295% |
| 1914 | #358 | 219 | 0.0288% |
| 1913 | #307 | 238 | 0.0381% |
| 1912 | #329 | 189 | 0.0339% |
| 1911 | #352 | 130 | 0.0311% |
| 1910 | #336 | 137 | 0.0346% |
| 1909 | #354 | 105 | 0.0302% |
| 1908 | #373 | 93 | 0.0278% |
| 1907 | #350 | 102 | 0.0320% |
| 1906 | #337 | 98 | 0.0332% |
| 1905 | #330 | 105 | 0.0360% |
| 1904 | #323 | 101 | 0.0367% |
| 1903 | #330 | 90 | 0.0344% |
| 1902 | #327 | 91 | 0.0345% |
| 1901 | #327 | 86 | 0.0359% |
| 1900 | #295 | 125 | 0.0417% |
| 1899 | #298 | 98 | 0.0421% |
| 1898 | #311 | 102 | 0.0394% |
| 1897 | #327 | 81 | 0.0346% |
| 1896 | #287 | 104 | 0.0437% |
| 1895 | #290 | 96 | 0.0411% |
| 1894 | #285 | 94 | 0.0422% |
| 1893 | #301 | 82 | 0.0385% |
| 1892 | #296 | 83 | 0.0391% |
| 1891 | #283 | 78 | 0.0421% |
| 1890 | #348 | 54 | 0.0284% |
| 1889 | #279 | 74 | 0.0415% |
| 1888 | #264 | 77 | 0.0431% |
| 1887 | #304 | 50 | 0.0343% |
| 1886 | #295 | 49 | 0.0339% |
| 1885 | #257 | 60 | 0.0451% |
| 1884 | #345 | 33 | 0.0256% |
| 1883 | #257 | 49 | 0.0436% |
| 1882 | #295 | 36 | 0.0334% |
| 1881 | #265 | 38 | 0.0413% |
| 1880 | #305 | 27 | 0.0297% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | #5,307 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1993 | #7,293 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1992 | #4,750 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1991 | #5,337 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1990 | #4,875 | 11 | 0.0005% |
| 1989 | #3,394 | 17 | 0.0008% |
| 1988 | #5,051 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1987 | #3,285 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1986 | #2,576 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 1985 | #3,715 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1984 | #3,591 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1983 | #2,181 | 24 | 0.0013% |
| 1982 | #2,567 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 1981 | #2,976 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1980 | #2,682 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1979 | #2,854 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1978 | #2,871 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 1977 | #2,176 | 22 | 0.0013% |
| 1976 | #3,184 | 12 | 0.0008% |
| 1975 | #2,259 | 20 | 0.0013% |
| 1974 | #2,090 | 21 | 0.0013% |
| 1973 | #2,087 | 20 | 0.0013% |
| 1972 | #1,492 | 33 | 0.0020% |
| 1971 | #1,729 | 27 | 0.0015% |
| 1970 | #1,363 | 38 | 0.0020% |
| 1969 | #1,119 | 49 | 0.0027% |
| 1968 | #1,198 | 41 | 0.0024% |
| 1967 | #1,327 | 33 | 0.0019% |
| 1966 | #1,001 | 53 | 0.0030% |
| 1965 | #933 | 63 | 0.0034% |
| 1964 | #782 | 93 | 0.0047% |
| 1963 | #824 | 85 | 0.0042% |
| 1962 | #829 | 85 | 0.0041% |
| 1961 | #829 | 86 | 0.0040% |
| 1960 | #782 | 96 | 0.0045% |
| 1959 | #700 | 121 | 0.0057% |
| 1958 | #765 | 95 | 0.0045% |
| 1957 | #697 | 120 | 0.0056% |
| 1956 | #711 | 107 | 0.0051% |
| 1955 | #718 | 104 | 0.0050% |
| 1954 | #670 | 116 | 0.0057% |
| 1953 | #667 | 114 | 0.0058% |
| 1952 | #605 | 137 | 0.0070% |
| 1951 | #632 | 125 | 0.0066% |
| 1950 | #601 | 130 | 0.0073% |
| 1949 | #512 | 169 | 0.0095% |
| 1948 | #463 | 207 | 0.0118% |
| 1947 | #458 | 216 | 0.0118% |
| 1946 | #601 | 115 | 0.0071% |
| 1945 | #578 | 111 | 0.0082% |
| 1944 | #576 | 114 | 0.0084% |
| 1943 | #539 | 137 | 0.0096% |
| 1942 | #558 | 121 | 0.0088% |
| 1941 | #686 | 80 | 0.0065% |
| 1940 | #814 | 59 | 0.0051% |
| 1939 | #949 | 44 | 0.0040% |
| 1938 | #1,266 | 28 | 0.0025% |
| 1937 | #1,609 | 19 | 0.0018% |
| 1936 | #2,551 | 9 | 0.0009% |
| 1935 | #2,477 | 10 | 0.0010% |
| 1933 | #2,651 | 9 | 0.0009% |
| 1932 | #4,077 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1929 | #3,427 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1925 | #4,000 | 6 | 0.0005% |
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.
Explore Name Lists Featuring Linda
Carl appears in several baby name collections based on U.S. popularity records, naming trends, and name characteristics. Explore these lists to discover other names with similar histories, styles, or features.
Most Popular Girl Names at All Time
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How the Name Linda 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 intuitive and might be interested in the arts, drama or science.
Dependable, very down-to-earth and well grounded, you are always looking for meaningful work, a career where you can take pride in your work and do the best job you are capable of. Your prime desire is to build protected and secure environment at home and at work. You can be very persuasive in achieving goals and gaining objectives. You can be very detailed and well-organized and possess great organizational skills. At times you may appear too stubborn and overly critical to others, but your practical approach to life and productivity makes you one of the most beneficent members of community.
✦ Linda's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Linda's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.