Unisex name · since 1882
Linn
Since 1882, U.S. Social Security records show 1,450 babies named Linn, peaking in 1947. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #4,056 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 1,450
- born since 1882
- 1940s
- peak decade
1,450 boys have been named Linn since 1882, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Linn has been recorded 1,450 times among boys since 1882, though it is not among the currently most-used boys names, with its heaviest use in the 1940s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1882 to 1989.
- #4,056 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 1,450 born since 1882
- 1940s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Linn ranks #4,056 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 1,450 born since 1882, peaking in the 1940s.
- #4,056 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 1,450
- born since 1882
- 1940s
- peak decade
Linn's 1,450 recorded births place it above 91.07% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
7 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by Pennsylvania.
Linn's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Linn splits its recorded history at 1945: 60% of all births land in the more recent half, 40% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1884 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1947 peak of 50 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Linn popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1882–1989
- Peak year (1947)
- 50
- Annual births at peak, across 108 years of records
Linn popularity over time - girls
844 total births recorded since 1930 (Linn as girls' name)
Linn by decade
1940s is the heaviest window (361 births, 25% of the file).
1940s was Linn's strongest decade.
361 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 25% of all-time use.
Linn births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 11
1880s
11 births
- 1890s 16
1890s
16 births
- 1900s 6
1900s
6 births
- 1910s 92
1910s
92 births
- 1920s
1920s
157 births
- 1930s
1930s
152 births
- 1940s
1940s
361 births
- 1950s
1950s
339 births
- 1960s
1960s
180 births
- 1970s 89
1970s
89 births
- 1980s 47
1980s
47 births
What this shows Peak: 1940s at 361 births (25% of all-time use).
How Linn compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Linn's total volume
Linn by state
Where Linn concentrates geographically, total births since 1882
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Pennsylvania | | 76 | 5.2% |
| #2 | Ohio | | 16 | 1.1% |
| #3 | California | | 11 | 0.8% |
| #4 | Iowa | | 11 | 0.8% |
| #5 | Illinois | | 10 | 0.7% |
| #6 | Missouri | | 6 | 0.4% |
| #7 | Indiana | | 5 | 0.3% |
76 of 1,450 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 7 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Linn's data
- Linn's decade-level peak was the 1940s (361 total births); usage has since declined to 47 in the 1980s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Pennsylvania records the most Linns (76 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Pennsylvania names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Linn
Nearby Names Like Linn
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Linn
Compare Linn side by side: Linn vs Lincoln Linn vs Linwood Linn vs Lindsey
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Linn: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1947)
Similar record span (~107 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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, 1882–1989 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
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 Linn 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 August 2026.