Boy · Greek
Linus
Say it: LY-nus
Meaning
Uncertain. Possibly from linon 'flax', or from the ritual lament ailinon.
Uncertainseveral explanations, none settled.
A popular name in modern Sweden.
Its wave through time
Popular now
In the United States
- 4,774 babies given this name since 1882
- At its height in 2017, about 1 in 11,100 boys
- 124 babies in 2020
Through the ages
Used by
The family of the name
| Greek | Linos |
|---|---|
| Swedish | Linus |
| German | Linus |
Famous bearers
- Pope Linus, early bishop of Rome
- Linus Pauling, American chemist
Names worth a look
Where this comes from
- Ancient Greek literature and history (Homer, Herodotus, Plutarch and others)
- Lives of the saints and early Christian martyrologies
- National birth statistics of European countries source
- United States Social Security birth records, 1880 to today source
Meanings and histories are compiled from the study of names and their languages and checked by a second review.
Meanings and histories are drawn from the study of names and their languages, each with a confidence rating; popularity figures come from official birth records. Name histories are a living field: if you know of a correction, we would be glad to hear it.