Declining since 1987.
Popularity of Linna since 1880
Babies named Linna per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1950, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Linna's real moment was 1880.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 26 |
| 1890s | 33 |
| 1900s | 19 |
| 1910s | 47 |
| 1920s | 82 |
| 1930s | 55 |
| 1940s | 100 |
| 1950s | 88 |
| 1960s | 54 |
| 1970s | 32 |
| 1980s | 101 |
| 1990s | 76 |
| 2000s | 62 |
| 2010s | 66 |
| 2020s | 35 |
Meaning & origin
Linna belongs to a small cluster of names that appeared in the earliest official U.S. birth records. First recorded in 1880, the name's peak year was that same year, but it has never cracked the mainstream top 1000. Its trajectory has been falling since 1987, indicating it has not seen the resurgence some other Victorian-era names have. Without a clear etymology, Linna feels like a compact, soft-sounding variant of more familiar names such as Lina, Lena, or the botanical Linnea. Its top states were unrecorded, reflecting its low frequency across the country. For parents who appreciate rare, historically rooted names with a gentle sound, Linna offers a quiet alternative to more common choices from the same era.
Linna first appeared in the United States in the 1880s. It may be a simplified spelling of Linnea, itself a botanical name honoring the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus, or it could be a feminine diminutive of Lynn or a variant of Lina. The name saw modest use in the late 19th and early 20th centuries before declining in popularity.
“Linna” around the world
Where Linna lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
5
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Sibling names for Linna
Names that share Linna's style, for a brother or sister.
