Total births
197
Unisex name · since 1977
Ling
197 babies named Ling in U.S. Social Security records since 1977, with the highest year being 1981. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #12492
- among girls today
- 197
- born since 1977
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 30%
- more common than other girls
Yes -- Ling is the #12492 most popular unisex name in the U.S. today, with 197 recorded since 1977.
Ling has 197 recorded births among girls since 1977, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #12492 as of the latest data, more common than 30% of girls, busiest in the 1980s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1977 to 2024.
- #12492 among girls today
- 197 born since 1977
- 1980s peak decade
- 30% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Ling is currently the #12492 unisex name in America, more common than 30% of girls - 197 born since 1977, peaking in the 1980s.
- #12492
- among girls today
- 197
- born since 1977
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 30%
- more common than other girls
Ling vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#12492
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 30% of names given to girls today.
1980s
Peak decade
38% of everyone ever named Ling was born in this single decade.
1981
Single peak year
13 babies were named Ling in 1981 - its busiest year on record.
How Ling compares
197 36th percentile among 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Ling's all-time total is 48% below the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Ling | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 197 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 13 | 48 | 19,840 |
Ling's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Ling splits its recorded history at 1992: 52% of all births land in the more recent half, 48% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1977 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1981 peak of 13 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Ling at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1981
Current rank
#12,492
Active since
1977
Ling popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1977–2024
- Peak year (1981)
- 13
- Annual births at peak, across 48 years of records
Ling popularity over time - boys
18 total births recorded since 1982 (Ling as boys' name)
Ling by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1980s was Ling's strongest decade.
75 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 38% of all-time use.
Ling births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 10
1970s
10 births
- 1980s
1980s
75 births
- 1990s
1990s
42 births
- 2000s
2000s
33 births
- 2010s
2010s
30 births
- 2020s 7
2020s
7 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 75 births (38% of all-time use).
Ling by state
Where Ling concentrates geographically, total births since 1977
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 26 | 13.2% |
| #2 | New York | | 5 | 2.5% |
California share of Ling's total US births 13.2%
Even split
26 of 197 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 2 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Ling? ▼
197 babies have been named Ling since 1977. It currently ranks #12492 among girls. The peak year was 1981 with 13 births.
When was Ling most popular? ▼
Ling was most popular in the 1980s decade with 75 total births. The single peak year was 1981.
Where is Ling most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Ling are California (26 births), New York (5 births).
Is Ling a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Ling is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 197 births, and as a boy's name it has 18 births.
How long has the name Ling been used? ▼
Records for Ling go back to 1977, giving 48 years of history through 2024.
What names are similar to Ling? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Linda, Lindsey, Lindsay, Lina, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Ling's data
- Ling's decade-level peak was the 1980s (75 total births); usage has since declined to 7 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Lings (26 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Ling
Nearby Names Like Ling
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Ling
Linda Girl
#836 1,455,143 births
Lindsey Girl
#1284 157,551 births
Lindsay Girl
#1984 130,365 births
Lina Girl
#565 19,489 births
Linnea Girl
#1601 9,944 births
Compare Ling side by side: Ling vs Linda Ling vs Lindsey Ling vs Lindsay
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Ling
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1977–2024 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Ling: #12492 Unisex Name - 197 Births, Peak 1981." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/ling. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Ling draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.