Holding steady.
Popularity of Lynsay since 1976
Babies named Lynsay per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1970s | 43 |
| 1980s | 178 |
| 1990s | 75 |
| 2000s | 11 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Lynsay is a modern respelling of Lindsay that saw modest use in the late 20th century. First recorded for girls in 1976, the name reached its peak ranked year in 1982, after which it gradually faded from common use. The spelling with '-ay' rather than '-ey' or '-y' gives it a distinctive but still recognizable form. While the name has not appeared in the top 1000 in recent decades, its trajectory has been stable rather than declining sharply, suggesting a quiet but steady preference among a small number of parents. As a variant of a classic surname-turned-first-name, Lynsay carries the same geographical and natural etymology but with a softer, more feminine visual appeal.
Lynsay is a respelling of the Scottish/English surname Lindsay, which derives from the place name Lindsey in Lincolnshire, England. The place name comes from Old English 'lind' (lime tree) and 'ēg' (island, dry land in a marsh). While some sources link it to the personal name Lindis, the place-name theory is most widely accepted. The name has been used as a given name since the 19th century, with the -say spelling emerging as a variant in the 1970s.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Lyn, Lynnie, Say
Sibling names for Lynsay
Names that share Lynsay's style, for a brother or sister.
