Linus
Masculine
Linus was a musician in Greek myth who taught Heracles and was killed by him for correcting his playing — and he is also the second pope.
How old is the name Linus?
Linus first appears in US birth records in 1882 — 143 years ago. The typical Linus alive today was born around 2004, making them about 21 years old. About 3,800 people named Linus are estimated to be alive in the US today.
When was the name Linus most popular?
Linus peaked in 1882, reaching #611 nationally. Today it ranks #1906, 1,295 places below that high. See the whole 1882 chart.
Linus appears on this list:
Where it comes from
From Linos to Linus
The story of Linus
Linus taught Heracles the lyre and was killed with it when he criticized his pupil. Linus is separately named as Peter's successor as bishop of Rome. Linus Pauling won two unshared Nobel prizes, which nobody else has done. Schulz's Peanuts character carried the name from 1952. It appears in American records in current use.
Meaningscholars disagree
Not established
The origin is genuinely unrecovered. It is sometimes connected to the Greek linos, 'flax', and sometimes read as taken from the cry ailinon in a lament, which would make the name descend from a song rather than a word. Neither is established.
How the name formed
- Linos
- Linus
Related forms: Λίνος · Linus · Linus
Pronouncing Linus
LY-nus
Two syllables, stress on the first. German and Swedish say LEE-nus with a different first vowel.
Nicknames for Linus
Moderate
What the data says
146 years of official birth records
The long climb, and where it stands now
The same years in position rather than babies
- First recorded
- 1882
- Most boys named
- 2017166 — the highest on record
- Peak rank
- #611reached in 1882
- Change vs 2022
- −34.9%82 in 2025, from 126
Rank is a position, a count is a headcount, and they move independently — a name can hold its rank while the number of babies behind it falls. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration.
Linus in other languages
The same name elsewhere
- Λίνος in Greek — transliteration
- Linus in Swedish — same name
- Linus in German — same name
Strongest US states over the last decade: California, Texas, New York.
Linuss among us
people named Linus are estimated to be alive in the US today
About 1 boy in 20,830 born in 2025 was named Linus
Estimated from SSA birth records and published actuarial life tables. Method
Is it right for you
What happens to a name after it peaks
Fashion outlook
Linus sits in the calm middle of the cycle — neither chasing a wave nor sliding off one. Middle-of-the-cycle names age slowly and predictably.
A scored estimate from 146 years of naming cycles — not a prophecy. Great names outlive statistics. How this is scored
Where Linus is headed
Linus should hold steady through 2030 — the curve is flat, and flat curves are the most predictable kind.
Medium confidence — fitted on official counts through 2025.
A damped-trend projection of the official birth data — a sketch of momentum, not a promise. Every name's forecast, ranked.
Linus beside its neighbors
The names ranked closest to Linus in 2025, in babies rather than position — the bars are to scale.
US boys given each name in 2025.
The trade-off
- A mythical musician, a pope and a double Nobel laureate all carry it.
- It is standard in Swedish, German and Dutch naming.
- Two clean syllables with no pronunciation risk.
- The meaning is genuinely unrecovered, and honest sources say so.
- A comic-strip character with a blanket is a strong association.
- The first vowel differs between English and continental readings.
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What they receive
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Linus
Masculine · #1906 in the U.S.
Frequently asked
- How many Linuss are there in the world?
- No country counts the world's names, so there is no worldwide figure — anyone quoting one is estimating. About 3,800 people named Linus are estimated to be alive in the US today.
- How popular is the name Linus in 2025?
- Linus ranks #1906 among US boy names in 2025, with 82 babies given the name.
- How rare is the name Linus?
- About 1 in every 20,830 US boys born in 2025 was named Linus — 82 in all.
- Will my child share the name Linus with classmates?
- Linus will almost certainly be the only one in school.
Ranked beside Linus
Names sitting at a similar level of popularity right now.
Cornelius#1906 · Huck#1906 · Tayden#1906 · Braxtyn#1906 · Clifton#1906 · Jeronimo#1906 · Neal#1906 · Yechiel#1906
Looking for what else is popular rather than what resembles Linus? See the current top 100.
Choosing between Linus and another name?
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US figures from the Social Security Administration. 1880–2025. Data & methodology
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