Lyndsey
Primarily a girl's name of Old English origin with 14,374 recorded births. Also given to 32 boys.
Meaning & Origin
A female given name transferred from the surname.
Lyndsey is a girl's and boy's baby name of Old English origin, a variant of Lindsay — from the Old English place name Lindsey meaning 'Lincoln's wet land' or 'island of linden trees.' Lindsay has been used as both a masculine and feminine name for centuries, and Lyndsey's -ey ending leans it gently toward the feminine side of this history.
Lyndsey has the accessible, slightly preppy quality of surname-names that have become girl names — familiar without being common, Scottish in origin but entirely American in feel.
EtymologyShow more
In the American context, Lyndsey is a girl's name with several decades of recorded use (1964–2024). Its Old English roots connect it to a broader naming tradition, but in practice, American usage often reshapes names — adding nicknames, shifting pronunciation, and building new associations that diverge from the original cultural context.
Today, Lyndsey is an active part of the American naming landscape (ranked #7791), continuing to accumulate its own cultural meaning with each new child who carries it.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Lyndsey was #928 twenty years ago and has since drifted to #7791, but its charm endures.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Avg Rank | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 100 | #6190 | ▼ |
| 2010s | 591 | #3212 | ▼ |
| 2000s | 2,410 | #1095 | ▼ |
| 1990s | 4,785 | #524 | ▼ |
| 1980s | 5,835 | #409 | ▲ |
| 1970s | 637 | #2831 | ▲ |
| 1960s | 16 | #7258 | — |
The Story of Lyndsey
A Millennial name
Peaking in 1990, Lyndsey is a Millennial-era classic. Girls named Lyndsey are most likely born between 1980 and 2000.
How rare is Lyndsey?
Only about 1 in every 257,143 babies born in 2024 was named Lyndsey — a truly uncommon choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1964, peaked in the 1980s with 5,835 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Lyndsey by the numbers
- Would fill 299 school buses
- Meeting one Lyndsey per day would take 39.4 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(56 years, 1964–2024)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 14 | #7791 |
| 2023 | 21 | #5870 |
| 2022 | 23 | #5568 |
| 2021 | 19 | #6305 |
| 2020 | 23 | #5417 |
| 2019 | 24 | #5393 |
| 2018 | 37 | #3978 |
| 2017 | 42 | #3671 |
| 2016 | 52 | #3169 |
| 2015 | 42 | #3684 |
| 2014 | 55 | #3063 |
| 2013 | 62 | #2797 |
| 2012 | 82 | #2304 |
| 2011 | 88 | #2167 |
| 2010 | 107 | #1891 |
| 2009 | 117 | #1835 |
| 2008 | 169 | #1411 |
| 2007 | 161 | #1457 |
| 2006 | 214 | #1148 |
| 2005 | 241 | #1013 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Lyndsey as a Boy's Name
While overwhelmingly a girl's name, Lyndsey has also been given to 32 boys in the U.S. since 1981.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lyndsey a boy's or girl's name?
When was Lyndsey most popular?
How popular is the name Lyndsey?
Can Lyndsey be used for both boys and girls?
Explore More
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1964–2024