Lin
lin
US Popularity:13371
Origin:Chinese
Meaning:Forest; Fine jade, gem; Bright; Linden hill; Flax, linen
Lin is a boy’s name that is Chinese in origin. While it is primarily a surname, it can also be given as a personal name. Depending on the kanji characters used, Lin has several meanings, including “fine jade” or “gem.” However, the most common characters, 林, mean “forest.” This comes from an ancient story of King Zhou of Shang, the last emperor of the Shang dynasty, who lived in the 12th century BCE. Zhou was a cruel king, whose loyal advisor Bi Gan tried to persuade him to change his ways. When Bi Gan was arrested for treason, his wife fled to the forest. There, she gave birth to a son. After Zhou was deposed, the next king restored Bi Gan’s son to his rightful place and gave him the surname Lin to honor his birthplace. It is a name rich in meaning and history and may even inspire baby with a lifelong love of nature. Additionally, the name is said to have Burmese origins, where it means “bright;” English origins, where it means “linden hill” and comes from Lydon; and finally, Greek origins, where it means “flax” or “linen,” and comes from the name Linus. As you can see, there is a lot to love about Lin!
Lin Name Popularity Data
The Bump Ranking
Overall:Lin is currently #2282 on The Bump
Girl:Lin is currently #1576 on The Bump Girl Names
U.S. Births
Overall:Lin is currently #13371 in U.S. births
Girl:Lin is currently #16529 in U.S. births
Yearly Ranking Change:
Year:
2023
#16529
in 2023
- 6436
from 2022
Sources
Ancestry, Lin Family History
Behind the Name, Lin, February 2018
100,000+ Baby Names by Bruce Lansky, pg. 460, 464
Name Doctor, Lin
Behind the Name, Lyndon, June 2019
Behind the Name, Linus, December 2022
My China Roots, Lin Surname Origins
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