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Name Lineage

    The first name Linus

    A boy’s name from Latin.

    Pronounced /ˈlaɪ.nəs/ 2 syllables Male

    Meaning and origin

    Latin origin

    From Latin Linus, Ancient Greek Λῖνος (Lînos), of uncertain meaning.

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    In 2025, 5 boys were named Linus, making it the 3,684th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2014, with 24 births (#1,117).

    01530 1996200020052010201520202025
    405
    babies named Linus, 1996–2025
    #3,684
    rank in 2025
    2014
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Linus with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Linus at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 82 boys born in the United States were named Linus, the 1,913th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 2017, when 166 were.

    0100200 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    5,342
    babies named Linus since 1880
    #1,913
    rank in 2025
    2017
    peak year

    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.

    Linus in other languages

    Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary

    Ли́нус
    Línus
    Bulgarian
    Lino
    Esperanto
    Λίνος
    Línos
    Greek
    Lino
    Italian
    Lino
    Portuguese
    Лин
    Lin
    Russian
    Linô
    Vietnamese

    Spelled Linus in Finnish, German, Polish and Swedish too.

    Nicknames and spellings

    Other spellings and forms

    • Linos
    • Linum
    • Linon

    Famous people named Linus

    10 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Linus Torvalds
      Finnish software engineer (born 1969)
    • Linus Pauling
      American scientist (1901–1994)
    • Linus
      2nd Pope of the Catholic Church, 10–79
    • Linus Roache
      English actor, born 1964
    • Linus Sebastian
      Canadian YouTuber, born 1986
    • Linus Straßer
      German alpine skier, born 1992
    • Linus Gechter
      German association football player, born 2004
    • Linus Yale
      American mechanical engineer (1821–1868)
    • Linus Butt
      German field hockey player (1987-)
    • Joe Barton
      American politician; U.S. Representative for Texas, born 1949

    More Latin boys’ names

    All 381 names of Latin origin

    Questions

    What does the name Linus mean?
    From Latin Linus, Ancient Greek Λῖνος (Lînos), of uncertain meaning.
    What is the origin of the name Linus?
    From Latin Linus, Ancient Greek Λῖνος (Lînos), of uncertain meaning.
    How popular is the name Linus?
    In 2025, 5 boys born in England and Wales were named Linus, ranking 3,684th. Its peak was 2014, with 24 births.
    Is Linus a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 5,342 US babies named Linus since 1880 were boys.
    When was Linus most popular?
    2017 in the United States, when 166 babies were named Linus, its highest rank at 1,147th.
    How do you pronounce Linus?
    Linus is /ˈlaɪ.nəs/, 2 syllables.
    What are other spellings of Linus?
    Linos, Linum and Linon.