Linda is a girl name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Linda means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Linda across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Linda has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Linda is a girl name of Spanish origin meaning “pretty”. also linked to a Germanic element meaning soft or tender.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 1,458,899 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 752 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 2,516 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 10 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 9,184 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 6,288 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Linda per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 1947 (99,908/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1973 (437/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1974 (316/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 1997 (39/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 1998 (4/yr).
Linda has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 1947, when it ranked #1 nationally (given to 99,908 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1940s.
Lynda · Lawanda · Lindy · Lanita · Lyndia · Londa · Lenda · Lynnda
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