Linda

♀ Girl

Pronounced LIN-duh /ˈlɪn.də/High

Meaning: Short form of Germanic names ending in -lind or -linda, from Old High German lind meaning soft, tender, or a serpent (symbol of wisdom); also independently meaning beautiful or pretty in SpanishHigh

In 30 seconds: Linda is a Germanic name element meaning soft or tender found in names like Belinda and Rosalinda, but also beautiful in Spanish, that became the most popular girls name in the United States in the late 1940s and remains a mid-century American classic.

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Origin HighGermanic, Spanish

MeaningShort form of Germanic names ending in -lind or -linda, from Old High German lind meaning soft, tender, or a serpent (symbol of wisdom); also independently meaning beautiful or pretty in Spanish

U.S. rank (2025)#902 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births294 girls (0.02% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1947

Total births (all-time)≈ 1,455,126

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

Linda has two distinct origins that converge in the same short, mellifluous form. In Germanic naming tradition, -lind or -linde appears as the second element in compound names such as Belinda, Rosalinda, and Melinda, from Old High German lind meaning soft, tender, or gentle (and in older usage, serpent, a symbol of wisdom). Independently, Spanish-speaking communities used Linda as a word meaning beautiful or pretty — from Latin bellus/bella via Spanish — which reinforced the name's appeal in the American Southwest and Latin America.

Linda exploded in popularity in the United States after World War II. It reached number one in 1947 — partly attributed to a popular song called Linda written by Jack Lawrence as a tribute to a little girl named Linda Eastman (who later became Linda McCartney). The name dominated the charts through the early 1950s, creating an entire generation of Lindas. By the 1980s it had faded from fashion but remains warmly familiar as a mid-century classic, and vintage-name enthusiasts consider it a possible revival candidate.

Did you know? Linda was the number one girls name in the United States every single year from 1947 to 1952 — an extraordinary six-year run at the top that no name had achieved before and very few have matched since, making it one of the most successful baby names in American naming history.

Overall data confidence 90%

Behind the Name — Linda — Germanic origin and American peakU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data 1940s-1950s

Variations

LyndaLindyBelinda

Nicknames

LinLindy

Famous Bearers

★Linda Ronstadt (1946–present)
American singer who achieved major commercial success across multiple genres including rock, pop, country, and Latin music in the 1970s and 1980s.

If you like Linda…

Donna— mid-century American girls name that shared Linda's generational peak and similar feel

Judith— post-war American girls name of comparable vintage and cultural familiarity

Carol— two-syllable American girls name that charted alongside Linda in the late 1940s and 1950s

Barbara— three-syllable mid-century American classic that was Linda's near-contemporary in the charts

Frequently Asked

What does the name Linda mean?

Linda comes from Germanic lind meaning soft or tender, and is also used in Spanish meaning beautiful or pretty.

How do you pronounce Linda?

It is said LIN-duh — two syllables, stress on the first.

When was Linda most popular?

Linda was the number one girls name in the United States from 1947 to 1952, one of the most dominant runs in American naming history.

Is Linda making a comeback?

Linda is considered a candidate for vintage revival, following the pattern of names that cycle back after 70–80 years out of fashion.