UK girl's name
Ling
Delicate Chinese name meaning "tiny" or referring to a willow tree.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2015. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Ling is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Ling popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2015 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4736, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2014, with 5 births.
This profile covers 17 England and Wales registrations across 4 recorded years from 2006 to 2015. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 80% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 17 living people in the UK are called Ling. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2016 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Ling ranked #4736 for girls in England and Wales in 2015, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2014, when 5 girls were registered as Ling.
- • About 17 living people in the UK are estimated to have Ling as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4736
2015
Births in 2015
4
Latest year
Peak year
2014
5 births
Estimated living
17
2026
Meaning
What does Ling mean?
The name Ling has its origins in various Asian cultures and languages. In Chinese, Ling is a common given name that can have several meanings, including "gemstone," "spirit," or "willow tree." It is a name with a long and rich history, dating back to ancient times.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ling can be found in the Chinese classic literary work "The Book of Songs," which dates back to the 11th-7th centuries BCE. In this anthology of ancient Chinese poetry, the name Ling appears in several poems, often associated with beauty, grace, and natural elements.
In ancient Chinese philosophy and religion, the name Ling is also linked to the concept of "lingxi," which refers to the spiritual essence or energy that permeates all living beings and the universe. This association with spirituality and the natural world has given the name a mystical and poetic quality throughout its history.
The name Ling has also been borne by several notable figures in Chinese history. One of the most famous is Ling Lun (c. 673-746 CE), a renowned Buddhist monk and scholar who played a significant role in the development of the Huayan school of Buddhist philosophy. Another prominent individual was Ling Ren (1828-1903), a Qing dynasty official and reformer who advocated for modernization and westernization in China.
In Korean culture, the name Ling is also found, although it is less common. It can be written using different Hangul characters and may have meanings such as "jade" or "precious stone." One notable Korean figure with the name Ling was Ling Yun (1518-1604), a renowned Neo-Confucian scholar and writer during the Joseon dynasty.
Beyond Asia, the name Ling has also made its mark in other cultures and contexts. In the West, one of the most famous bearers of the name was Ling Woo (1905-1984), a Chinese-American actor and comedian who achieved fame in Hollywood during the 1930s and 1940s. His career helped break down stereotypes and paved the way for greater representation of Asian actors in American cinema.
Overall, the name Ling has a rich and diverse history, spanning across centuries and cultures. Its connections to nature, spirituality, and beauty have imbued it with a sense of depth and mystery, making it a name that continues to captivate and inspire.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Ling over time
The chart below shows babies named Ling registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2006 to 2015. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Ling, the clearest high point is 2014. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2015, compared with 5 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Ling by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Ling was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #4493 | 13 | 3 |
| 2000s | #4157 | 4 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Ling
- Lily 72,956
- Lucy 70,663
- Lauren 50,664
- Leah 33,185
- Lola 24,525
- Layla 24,520
- Laura 23,471
- Lilly 21,714
- Lydia 18,353
- Libby 14,515
- Lara 13,415
- Lacey 13,406
FAQ
Ling: questions and answers
How popular is the name Ling in the UK right now?
In 2015, Ling was ranked #4736 for girls in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Ling most popular?
The peak year on record was 2014, with 5 babies registered as Ling in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Ling?
Delicate Chinese name meaning "tiny" or referring to a willow tree.
How many people are called Ling in the UK?
A total of 17 babies have been registered as Ling across the 4 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.