Given name & surname
Linn
“resembling the cascade of a waterfall”
Linn is used as a given name and a surname. One Scottish interpretation is “resembling the cascade of a waterfall.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Scottish interpretation is “resembling the cascade of a waterfall.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Scottish.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1882. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Linn through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 2,294
- 1,450 boys · 844 girls
- Most popular year
- 1956
- 84 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- —
- Too few births to compare
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 63% boys.
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for girls is 5 in 2005. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Its largest published annual count for girls was 50 in 1956. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,936 as a first name in 2020; 11,997 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Linn’s family of names
In German usage, Linn has a related form in Lynn. In Norwegian usage, Linn has a related form in Lina. In Norwegian usage, Linn has a related form in Line.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 4
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 3
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Linn
- Linn UllmannNorwegian writer and journalistborn 1966
- Linn GestblomSwedish female biathleteborn 1994
- Linn Jørum SullandNorwegian female handball playerborn 1984
- Linn SvahnSwedish cross-country skierborn 1999
- Linn BlohmSwedish handball playerborn 1992
- Linn BoydAmerican politician (1800-1859)
- Linn SömskarSwedish cross-country skierborn 1989
- Linn da QuebradaBrazilian actress and singerborn 1990
- Linn FarrishAmerican rugby union player and spy (1901–1944)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Linn, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Gale
“a foreigner” · “one who is cheerful”
85% boys · 15% girls
Mel
“a dark-skinned beauty” · “from the mill town”
42% boys · 58% girls
Kerry
“having black hair”
71% boys · 29% girls
Kelley
“a warrior” · “one who defends”
41% boys · 59% girls
Argyle
“a diamond pattern”
83% boys · 17% girls
Laire
“resembling a mare”
40% boys · 60% girls
Nairn
“from the alder-tree river”
73% boys · 27% girls
Gunn
“a white-skinned man; a white-haired man”
54% boys · 46% girls