The first name Lin
A unisex name meaning “wood”, “tree”, “forest”.
Pronounced /ˈlɪn/ 1 syllable Unisex Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Lin means “wood”, “tree”, “forest”.
From Chinese: compare Mandarin 林 (lín), Gan 林 (lin⁴), Wu 林, Xiang 林 (lin²). 林 itself is composed of a reduplication of 木 (“wood, tree”). Literally, “forest”.
More names that mean forest.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 3 girls were named Lin, making it the 5,927th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2011, with 6 births (#3,549).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Lin with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Lin at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 7 girls born in the United States were named Lin, the 12,636th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1952, when 35 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Nicknames and spellings
Other spellings and forms
- Lim
- Lam
- Lem
- Ling
- Lang
- Leng
- Lan
- Len
- Nin
- Rim
- Im
- Rin
Famous people named Lin
11 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Lin ShayeAmerican actress, born 1943
- Gao LinChinese footballer, born 1986
- Lin CarterAmerican fantasy writer, editor, critic (1930–1988)
- Wang LinChinese badminton player, born 1989
- Zhu LinChinese badminton player, born 1984
- L. Lin WoodAmerican lawyer and conspiracy theorist, born 1952
- Ma LinChinese artist (1180-1256)
- Lin DunnAmerican basketball coach, born 1947
- Lin HuiqingChinese table tennis player, born 1941
- Lee Lin ChinAustralian journalist
- Chen LinChinese badminton player, born 1977
Questions
- What does the name Lin mean?
- Lin means “wood”, “tree”, “forest”.
- How popular is the name Lin?
- In 2025, 3 girls born in England and Wales were named Lin, ranking 5,927th. Its peak was 2011, with 6 births.
- Is Lin a boy's or a girl's name?
- Both. Of the 1,897 US babies named Lin since 1880, 55% were girls and 45% boys.
- When was Lin most popular?
- 1952 in the United States, when 35 babies were named Lin, its highest rank at 1,667th.
- How do you pronounce Lin?
- Lin is /ˈlɪn/, one syllable.
- What are other spellings of Lin?
- Lim, Lam, Lem, Ling, Lang and Leng.
- Is Lin also a surname?
- Yes. Lin is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.