Lynne
Primarily a girl's name of Welsh origin with 61,952 recorded births. Also given to 458 boys.
Meaning & Origin
A surname from Scottish Gaelic, a rare spelling variant of Lynn.
Lynne is a girl's and boy's baby name of Welsh origin (or Scottish Gaelic), from llyn (lake) or the Scottish Gaelic linn (pool, waterfall), meaning 'lake' or 'waterfall.' It gained wide use as both a standalone name and as the most popular name suffix in 20th century American naming.
Lynne is quietly beautiful — four letters, one syllable, and the stillness of a Welsh mountain lake. It was at its peak as both a standalone name and a suffix (Caroline, Carolyne, Jacquelynne) in the 1950s-1970s, and carries the graceful simplicity of that era's naming sensibility.
EtymologyShow more
The ending of a name often carries more etymological information than the beginning. Lynne's final sounds are open, approachable — ending on a vowel softens the overall impression. In English-language naming, many feminine names end on open vowels or soft consonants, creating a melodic, approachable quality. Lynne follows that feminine pattern.
Explore the ending-based name pages on this site to find names that share Lynne's suffix pattern — names with similar endings often share a style and era, even when they come from different linguistic backgrounds.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Lynne was #6970 twenty years ago and has since drifted to #14507, but its charm endures.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Avg Rank | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 44 | #11676 | ▼ |
| 2010s | 123 | #9399 | ▼ |
| 2000s | 219 | #6306 | ▼ |
| 1990s | 463 | #2973 | ▼ |
| 1980s | 1,388 | #1120 | ▼ |
| 1970s | 3,341 | #587 | ▼ |
| 1960s | 16,907 | #219 | ▼ |
| 1950s | 22,194 | #158 | ▲ |
| 1940s | 14,236 | #174 | ▲ |
| 1930s | 2,552 | #593 | ▲ |
| 1920s | 287 | #1591 | ▲ |
| 1910s | 172 | #1828 | ▲ |
| 1900s | 26 | #1545 | — |
The Story of Lynne
A Baby Boomer name
Peaking in 1960, Lynne is a timeless Baby Boomer name. Girls named Lynne are most likely born between 1950 and 1970.
How rare is Lynne?
Only about 1 in every 600,000 babies born in 2024 was named Lynne — a truly uncommon choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1907, grew steadily over the decades, peaked in the 1950s with 22,194 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Lynne by the numbers
- More Lynnes than the population of a small U.S. town
- Would fill 1,291 school buses
- Meeting one Lynne per day would take 169.7 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(118 years, 1907–2024)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 6 | #14507 |
| 2023 | 12 | #8766 |
| 2022 | 12 | #8837 |
| 2021 | 6 | #14554 |
| 2020 | 8 | #11715 |
| 2019 | 12 | #8896 |
| 2018 | 13 | #8420 |
| 2017 | 13 | #8588 |
| 2016 | 15 | #7837 |
| 2015 | 10 | #10581 |
| 2014 | 8 | #12628 |
| 2013 | 12 | #9380 |
| 2012 | 17 | #7331 |
| 2011 | 9 | #11774 |
| 2010 | 14 | #8553 |
| 2009 | 19 | #6966 |
| 2008 | 25 | #5676 |
| 2007 | 11 | #10550 |
| 2006 | 18 | #7028 |
| 2005 | 14 | #8162 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Lynne as a Boy's Name
While overwhelmingly a girl's name, Lynne has also been given to 458 boys in the U.S. since 1912.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lynne a boy's or girl's name?
When was Lynne most popular?
How popular is the name Lynne?
Can Lynne be used for both boys and girls?
Explore More
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1907–2024