What does the name Lynn mean in Irish?

Second, it is an English habitational name denoting a person who was from a) any of several places (parishes, villages, etc.) in Norfolk named Lynn, primarily King’s Lynn, an important wool trade hub in medieval England, as well as South Lynn and West Lynn, b) Lynn, a hamlet in Staffordshire, c) Lynn in East Shropshire, or d) Lynmouth in Devon. The place names themselves likely derived from an Old Welsh word cognate with the Gaelic word linn, meaning pool or stream, or the Brittonic word lenna, meaning pool or lake, or the Welsh llyn or linn, meaning pool or lake. Others have translated the name as “waterfall”.

Third, it is a Scottish spelling variant of the surname Lyne. Lyne is a Scottish habitational name denoting a person who was from places so names in Ayrshire, Peebleshire, and Wigtownshire.

Fourth, some assert is an English habitational name denoting someone who lived near a lime tree.

Surname Spelling variants
Spelling or names with similar etymologies include Lynne, Lyn, Linn, Lin, Linne, Llynn, Lenn, and others.

Early Bearers of the Lynn Surname
The first known bearers of this surname was Aedricus de Lenna who was documented in King’s Lynn in the Pipe Rolls of Norfolk in 1177 AD. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 AD, a census of Wales and England, known in Latin as Rotuli Hundredorum lists one bearer of this surname: Reginald de Lyn (Devon) and Cecilia de Lynn (Devonshire). David de Lyne was documented c. 1180 AD in Scotland. William de Lyn owned lands in Perthshire, Scotland in 1246 AD. John de Lynne, bailiff of Norwich, was recorded in the History of Norfolk in 1396 AD.

Popularity & Geographic Distribution
The last name Lynn ranks 847th in popularity in the United Status as of the 2000 Census. The name ranks particularly high in the following four states: Pennsylvania (429th), Tennessee (430th), Alabama (498th), and Kentucky (557th).

The surname Lynn frequency/commonness ranks as follows in the British Isles: England (1,368th), Scotland (752nd), Wales (1,634th), Ireland (924th) and Northern Ireland (308th). In England, it ranks highest in Tyne and Wear. In Scotland, the surname ranks highest in North Ayrshire. In Ireland, it ranks highest in Connaught. In Wales, it ranks highest in Swansea.

The name is also present throughout the remainder English speaking world:  Canada (1,867th), New Zealand (908th), Australia (1,602nd), and South Africa (4,367th).

Lynn is a classic name in many English-speaking countries. However, while it is most commonly used for girls, there is also a tradition of Lynn as a boy name as well. It is derived from the Welsh and Celtic words for "lake," "waterfall," "pool," and "pond." Lynn is sometimes used as a nickname for Linda, a Spanish name meaning "pretty."

Additionally, the name joins well as a suffix to other names to create a longer one, such as Aislynn, Evelyn, and Brooklyn. It is also very adaptable and goes well with many other names, making it a frequent choice for use as a middle name.

  • Origin: Lynn is a Welsh name meaning "lake."
  • Gender: Lynn is most commonly used as a girl's name.
  • Pronunciation: lin


Although many baby names are separated by gender, Verywell Family believes that sex does not need to play a role in your name selection process. It’s important to select a name that you feel suits your new baby the best.

Lynn is a well-known name that is most common as a middle name or joined with another name as the last syllable (think Katelynn).

As a first name, throughout most of the 20th century, Lynn maintained a spot in the top 1,000 names until 1996, when it was ranked 933. Since then, it hasn't made the list. The name was at its most popular from the late 1940s to the late 1960s, ranging from 85 to its highest position of 60 in 1958.

Name Variations

The most common variations of the name Lynn include:

  • Lin (Chinese)
  • Linda (Spanish)
  • Lindon, Lyndon, Linden (English)
  • Linford, Lynford (English)
  • Lynelle (Welsh)
  • Lynette, Lynnette (French)
  • Lynne (English)

100 Biblical Baby Names

Similar Names

Similar sounding names to Lynn include:

  • Jasmine
  • Lillian
  • Lilibet
  • Lilly
  • Lisa
  • London
  • Madison

Other names starting with L:

  • Lana
  • Lane
  • Laura
  • Lauren
  • Leonard
  • Lester
  • Lewis
  • Louis
  • Louisa
  • Louise

Names ending in Lin, Lyn, or Lynn:

  • Adelynn
  • Aislynn
  • Amberlyn
  • Caitlyn
  • Evelyn
  • Gracelynn
  • Jaclyn
  • Jacalyn
  • Katelynn
  • Madeline
  • Madelyn
  • Roselyn

Common Nicknames

As it is already a short name, Lynn does not tend to be shortened or lend itself to nicknames. However, some people may use Lynnie, Lyli, Lyno, or other variations on an L or N sound.

Suggested Sibling Names 

Looking for a sibling name for Lynn? Here are some popular choices:

  • Audrey
  • Amy
  • Eli
  • Gabriel
  • Luke
  • Maria
  • Michael
  • Olivia
  • Oliver
  • Robert
  • Shannon
  • Simone
  • Victoria

Famous People Named Lynn 

Some notable people named Lynn include:

  • Lynn Nolan Ryan, Jr., an American Major League Baseball pitcher and member of the National Baseball League Hall of Fame
  • Lynn Fontanne, a celebrated English theater actress
  • Lynn Redgrave, a British American Golden Globe-winning actress
  • Lynn Shelton, an American director of films
  • Lynn Swann, an American wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers, sports broadcaster, and politician

More Baby Names

Still searching for the perfect baby name? Check out these related baby name lists for even more options: 

Is Lynn an Irish name?

Variants of the name Lynn include Flynn, Linn and Flyng. Meaning 'ruddy', this name is of Irish origin and is found throughout the four Provinces. Lynn is often found as the Northern form of the name Flynn which is derived from the Gaelic O'Floinn sept name.

What does Lynn mean in Celtic?

It is derived from the Welsh and Celtic words for "lake," "waterfall," "pool," and "pond." Lynn is sometimes used as a nickname for Linda, a Spanish name meaning "pretty."

Does Lynn mean beautiful?

In Spanish Baby Names the meaning of the name Lynn is: Pretty.

What does Lynn mean in Old English?

An English habitational surname from Welsh, from King's Lynn in Norfolk, from Welsh llyn (“lake”) or Old English lean (“reward”, implying land tenure).