Lynda
Primarily a girl's name with 77,948 recorded births. Also given to 119 boys.
Meaning & Origin
A female given name from the Germanic languages, variant of Linda.
Lynda is a girl's and boy's baby name of Germanic origin, a variant spelling of Linda, from the Old High German lind, meaning 'soft,' 'tender,' or 'gentle.' The -y- spelling was a stylistic variant popular in mid-20th century America.
Lynda was most common in the 1940s through 1960s, fitting the era's love of short, melodic names. Lynda Carter, who played Wonder Woman in the 1970s television series, gave the name a lasting association with strength and charisma that never quite left.
EtymologyShow more
Phonetically, Lynda belongs to a cluster of names characterized by their open, warm ending — a soft ending that crosses many language boundaries. At two syllables, it has a two-beat rhythm that is easy to call across a room and natural in conversation.
Sound-alike names often cluster in style even when they come from different linguistic roots. The Similar Names section below uses letter and phonetic patterns to surface names in Lynda’s sonic neighborhood.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Lynda was #2615 twenty years ago and has since drifted to #9947, but its charm endures.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Avg Rank | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 109 | #6427 | ▼ |
| 2010s | 399 | #3906 | ▼ |
| 2000s | 683 | #2574 | ▼ |
| 1990s | 1,058 | #1562 | ▼ |
| 1980s | 2,293 | #804 | ▼ |
| 1970s | 4,349 | #490 | ▼ |
| 1960s | 15,694 | #218 | ▼ |
| 1950s | 22,689 | #162 | ▼ |
| 1940s | 27,952 | #115 | ▲ |
| 1930s | 2,195 | #692 | ▲ |
| 1920s | 282 | #1630 | ▲ |
| 1910s | 148 | #1973 | ▲ |
| 1900s | 42 | #1605 | ▲ |
| 1890s | 39 | #1265 | ▲ |
| 1880s | 16 | #1107 | — |
The Story of Lynda
A Baby Boomer name
Peaking in 1947, Lynda is a timeless Baby Boomer name. Girls named Lynda are most likely born between 1937 and 1957.
How rare is Lynda?
Only about 1 in every 360,000 babies born in 2024 was named Lynda — a truly uncommon choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1882, grew steadily over the decades, peaked in the 1940s with 27,952 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Lynda by the numbers
- Enough Lyndas to fill 1.1 football stadiums
- More Lyndas than the population of a small U.S. town
- Meeting one Lynda per day would take 213.6 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(128 years, 1882–2024)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 10 | #9947 |
| 2023 | 15 | #7493 |
| 2022 | 30 | #4635 |
| 2021 | 33 | #4295 |
| 2020 | 21 | #5764 |
| 2019 | 36 | #4047 |
| 2018 | 32 | #4416 |
| 2017 | 34 | #4272 |
| 2016 | 33 | #4401 |
| 2015 | 35 | #4196 |
| 2014 | 60 | #2877 |
| 2013 | 40 | #3822 |
| 2012 | 46 | #3505 |
| 2011 | 38 | #3976 |
| 2010 | 45 | #3549 |
| 2009 | 48 | #3441 |
| 2008 | 67 | #2739 |
| 2007 | 55 | #3154 |
| 2006 | 83 | #2299 |
| 2005 | 73 | #2424 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Lynda as a Boy's Name
While overwhelmingly a girl's name, Lynda has also been given to 119 boys in the U.S. since 1941.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lynda a boy's or girl's name?
When was Lynda most popular?
How popular is the name Lynda?
Can Lynda be used for both boys and girls?
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1882–2024