The first name Lincoln
A boy’s name from Latin meaning “the roman settlement lindum colonia”, “pool”, “lake”.
Pronounced /ˈlɪŋ.kən/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Latin origin
Lincoln means “the roman settlement lindum colonia”, “pool”, “lake” in Latin.
Inherited from Middle English Lincolne, from Old English Lincolle, Lindcolen, Lindcylene, from Latin Lindum Colōnia (“the Roman settlement Lindum Colonia”), from Proto-Brythonic *llɨnn (“pool”), from Proto-Celtic *lindos (“lake, liquid”), in reference to the Brayford. In the United States, many of the places established since 1865 are named after Abraham Lincoln.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 151 boys were named Lincoln, making it the 302nd most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2017, with 593 births (#106).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Lincoln with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Lincoln at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 4,703 boys born in the United States were named Lincoln, the 69th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 2017, when 8,202 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.
Lincoln in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Lincoln in Danish and German too.
Nicknames and spellings
Nicknames for Lincoln
- Link
- Linc
Famous people named Lincoln
32 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- George Lincoln RockwellAmerican founder of the American Nazi Party (1918–1967)
- Lincoln EllsworthAmerican explorer (1880–1951)
- Lincoln ChafeeAmerican politician and former United States Senator from Rhode Island, born 1953
- LincolnBrazilian footballer (born 1979)
- Lincoln SteffensAmerican journalist (1866-1936)
- Lincoln Díaz-BalartAmerican politician (1954–2025)
- Lincoln Corrêa dos SantosBrazilian association football player, born 2000
- Lincoln HenriqueBrazilian association football player, born 1998
- Lincoln KirsteinAmerican writer (1907–1996)
- Lincoln ChildAmerican writer (born 1957)
- Lincoln AlmondAmerican attorney, politician, and member of the Republican Party (1936–2023)
- Lincoln LewisAustralian actor, born 1987
More Latin boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Lincoln mean?
- Lincoln means “the roman settlement lindum colonia”, “pool”, “lake” in Latin.
- What is the origin of the name Lincoln?
- Inherited from Middle English Lincolne, from Old English Lincolle, Lindcolen, Lindcylene, from Latin Lindum Colōnia (“the Roman settlement Lindum Colonia”), from Proto-Brythonic *llɨnn (“pool”), from Proto-Celtic *lindos (“lake, liquid”), in reference to the Brayford. In the United States, many of…
- How popular is the name Lincoln?
- In 2025, 151 boys born in England and Wales were named Lincoln, ranking 302nd. Its peak was 2017, with 593 births.
- What are nicknames for Lincoln?
- Common nicknames for Lincoln include Link, Linc.
- Is Lincoln a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 98% of the 106,968 US babies named Lincoln since 1880 were boys.
- When was Lincoln most popular?
- 2017 in the United States, when 8,202 babies were named Lincoln, its highest rank at 41st.
- How do you pronounce Lincoln?
- Lincoln is /ˈlɪŋ.kən/, 2 syllables.
- Is Lincoln also a surname?
- Yes. Lincoln is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.