Lynn Name Meaning

By
Sarah Vanbuskirk
Sarah Vanbuskirk
Sarah Vanbuskirk

Sarah Vanbuskirk is a writer and editor with 20 years of experience covering parenting, health, wellness, lifestyle, and family-related topics. Her work has been published in numerous magazines, newspapers, and websites, including Activity Connection, Glamour, PDX Parent, Self, TripSavvy, Marie Claire, and TimeOut NY.

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Updated on October 31, 2021
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What Does Lynn Mean?

Lynn is a classic name in many English-speaking countries. However, while it is most commonly used for girls, there is also a tradition of Lynn as a boy name as well. It is derived from the Welsh and Celtic words for "lake," "waterfall," "pool," and "pond." Lynn is sometimes used as a nickname for Linda, a Spanish name meaning "pretty."

Additionally, the name joins well as a suffix to other names to create a longer one, such as Aislynn, Evelyn, and Brooklyn. It is also very adaptable and goes well with many other names, making it a frequent choice for use as a middle name.

  • Origin: Lynn is a Welsh name meaning "lake."
  • Gender: Lynn is most commonly used as a girl's name.
  • Pronunciation: lin


Although many baby names are separated by gender, Verywell Family believes that sex does not need to play a role in your name selection process. It’s important to select a name that you feel suits your new baby the best.

How Popular is the Name Lynn?

Lynn is a well-known name that is most common as a middle name or joined with another name as the last syllable (think Katelynn).

As a first name, throughout most of the 20th century, Lynn maintained a spot in the top 1,000 names until 1996, when it was ranked 933. Since then, it hasn't made the list. The name was at its most popular from the late 1940s to the late 1960s, ranging from 85 to its highest position of 60 in 1958.

Name Variations

The most common variations of the name Lynn include:

  • Lin (Chinese)
  • Linda (Spanish)
  • Lindon, Lyndon, Linden (English)
  • Linford, Lynford (English)
  • Lynelle (Welsh)
  • Lynette, Lynnette (French)
  • Lynne (English)

Similar Names

Similar sounding names to Lynn include:

Other names starting with L:

  • Lana
  • Lane
  • Laura
  • Lauren
  • Leonard
  • Lester
  • Lewis
  • Louis
  • Louisa
  • Louise

Names ending in Lin, Lyn, or Lynn:

  • Adelynn
  • Aislynn
  • Amberlyn
  • Caitlyn
  • Evelyn
  • Gracelynn
  • Jaclyn
  • Jacalyn
  • Katelynn
  • Madeline
  • Madelyn
  • Roselyn

Common Nicknames

As it is already a short name, Lynn does not tend to be shortened or lend itself to nicknames. However, some people may use Lynnie, Lyli, Lyno, or other variations on an L or N sound.

Suggested Sibling Names 

Looking for a sibling name for Lynn? Here are some popular choices:

  • Audrey
  • Amy
  • Eli
  • Gabriel
  • Luke
  • Maria
  • Michael
  • Olivia
  • Oliver
  • Robert
  • Shannon
  • Simone
  • Victoria

Famous People Named Lynn 

Some notable people named Lynn include:

  • Lynn Nolan Ryan, Jr., an American Major League Baseball pitcher and member of the National Baseball League Hall of Fame
  • Lynn Fontanne, a celebrated English theater actress
  • Lynn Redgrave, a British American Golden Globe-winning actress
  • Lynn Shelton, an American director of films
  • Lynn Swann, an American wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers, sports broadcaster, and politician

More Baby Names

Still searching for the perfect baby name? Check out these related baby name lists for even more options: 

2 Sources
Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

  1. Hanks P, Hardcastle K, Hodges F. A Dictionary of First Names. Oxford University Press; 2016.

  2. Social Security Administration. Popularity of name Lynn.

By Sarah Vanbuskirk
Sarah Vanbuskirk is a writer and editor with 20 years of experience covering parenting, health, wellness, lifestyle, and family-related topics. Her work has been published in numerous magazines, newspapers, and websites, including Activity Connection, Glamour, PDX Parent, Self, TripSavvy, Marie Claire, and TimeOut NY.

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