UK girl's name
Linn
A girl's name of Irish origin meaning "small pool or lake".
Linn is a girl's name in the UK records.
We estimate that about 3 living people in the UK are called Linn. 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 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Linn ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #547 in 1984.
- • About 3 living people in the UK are estimated to have Linn as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
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Births in -
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Peak year
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Estimated living
3
2026
Meaning
What does Linn mean?
The name Linn is derived from the Old Norse word "linn" which means "a waterfall" or "a pool". It is believed to have originated in Scandinavia during the Viking era, around the 8th to 11th centuries AD. The name was commonly used in ancient Norse mythology and folklore, often associated with natural elements like waterfalls and rivers.
One of the earliest known historical references to the name Linn can be found in the Icelandic Sagas, which are a collection of medieval Norse literature. In these sagas, there are mentions of characters with names like Linnritha and Linnbera, which incorporate the element "linn".
In the 12th century, a Norwegian chieftain named Linn Berdorsson is recorded to have existed. He was a prominent figure during the civil wars that took place in Norway at that time.
During the Middle Ages, the name Linn gained popularity across Scandinavian countries like Sweden, Denmark, and Iceland. It was also adopted in parts of Scotland and Ireland, where the Norse influence was strong.
One notable figure with the name Linn was the Swedish botanist Carl von Linné, also known as Carolus Linnaeus (1707-1778). He is renowned for his work in taxonomy and for establishing the modern system of binomial nomenclature for classifying living organisms.
Another historical figure with the name Linn was the Norwegian painter Johan Christian Lund (1768-1844), who was also known as Linn Lund. He was a prominent figure in the Golden Age of Norwegian art and is remembered for his landscape paintings.
In the 19th century, the American writer and abolitionist Linn Boyd Brayer (1824-1892) gained recognition for his work in advocating for the abolition of slavery and women's rights.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Linn in literature can be found in the works of the Scottish poet Robert Burns (1759-1796). He wrote a poem titled "Linn" which celebrated the beauty of a waterfall in Scotland.
While the name Linn has its roots in Scandinavia and the Viking era, it has since been adopted and used in various parts of the world, particularly in English-speaking countries. However, its historical and cultural significance remains deeply connected to its Norse origins and the natural elements associated with it.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Geography
Where Linn is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Linn. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Linn ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #547 in 1984.
Across the UK
Linn in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#547 in 1984
1 years of NRS records, 3 total registered
Related
Names similar to Linn
- 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
Linn: questions and answers
What is the meaning and origin of Linn?
A girl's name of Irish origin meaning "small pool or lake".
Where is Linn most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Linn ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #547 in 1984. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
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.