Total births
5,342
Boys' name · since 1882
Linus
Linus has 5,342 recorded births since 1882 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2017 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #1423
- among boys today
- 5,342
- born since 1882
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 90%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Linus is the #1423 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 5,342 recorded since 1882.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Linus has been recorded 5,342 times among boys since 1882, currently ranked #1423 nationally and more common than 90% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 2010s. 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 2025.
- #1423 among boys today
- 5,342 born since 1882
- 2010s peak decade
- 90% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Linus is currently the #1423 boys' name in America, more common than 90% of boys - 5,342 born since 1882, peaking in the 2010s.
- #1423
- among boys today
- 5,342
- born since 1882
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 90%
- more common than other boys
Linus vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#1423
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 90% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
26% of everyone ever named Linus was born in this single decade.
2017
Single peak year
166 babies were named Linus in 2017 - its busiest year on record.
How Linus compares
5,342 Top 12% higher than 88% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys 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
Linus's all-time total is 15x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Linus | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 5,342 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 166 | 23 | 22,252 |
Linus's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Linus's full recorded timeline at 1962, 64% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 36% in the earlier half -- usage has skewed toward the present, not a one-decade spike. Its quietest year on record was 1885, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 2017 peak of 166 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Linus at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2017
Current rank
#1,423
Active since
1882
Linus popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1882–2025
- Peak year (2017)
- 166
- Annual births at peak, across 144 years of records
Linus by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Linus's strongest decade.
1,396 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 26% of all-time use.
Linus births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 31
1880s
31 births
- 1890s 26
1890s
26 births
- 1900s 24
1900s
24 births
- 1910s 340
1910s
340 births
- 1920s 504
1920s
504 births
- 1930s 324
1930s
324 births
- 1940s 340
1940s
340 births
- 1950s 281
1950s
281 births
- 1960s 234
1960s
234 births
- 1970s 138
1970s
138 births
- 1980s 106
1980s
106 births
- 1990s 217
1990s
217 births
- 2000s
2000s
693 births
- 2010s
2010s
1,396 births
- 2020s
2020s
688 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 1,396 births (26% of all-time use).
How Linus 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 Linus's total volume
Linus vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Linus by state
Where Linus concentrates geographically, total births since 1882
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 391 | 7.3% |
| #2 | Minnesota | | 202 | 3.8% |
| #3 | New York | | 172 | 3.2% |
| #4 | Texas | | 167 | 3.1% |
| #5 | Ohio | | 139 | 2.6% |
| #6 | Indiana | | 113 | 2.1% |
| #7 | Wisconsin | | 111 | 2.1% |
| #8 | Pennsylvania | | 96 | 1.8% |
California share of Linus's total US births 7.3%
Even split
391 of 5,342 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 27 reporting states.
Linus appears in 27 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Linus? ▼
Linus has been given to 5,342 babies in the U.S. since 1882, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #1423 as of the latest data. 166 babies were born in 2017, its single highest year.
When was Linus most popular? ▼
Linus was most popular in the 2010s decade with 1,396 total births. The single peak year was 2017.
Where is Linus most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Linus are California (391 births), Minnesota (202 births), New York (172 births).
How long has the name Linus been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Linus since 1882 -- 144 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Linus? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Lincoln, Linwood, Lindsey, Lindsay, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Linus's data
- Linus's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (1,396 total births) through the 2020s (688) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Linuss (391 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 Linus
Nearby Names Like Linus
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Linus
Lincoln Boy
#73 104,918 births
Linwood Boy
#6838 12,776 births
Lindsey Boy
#9901 7,735 births
Lindsay Boy
5,136 births
Lino Boy
#2158 4,188 births
Compare Linus side by side: Linus vs Lincoln Linus vs Linwood Linus vs Lindsey
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Linus
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, 1882–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Linus: #1423 Boys' Name - 5,342 Births, Peak 2017." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/linus. 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 Linus 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.