9BabyNames Baby names with meanings & US popularity data

Linus

Pronunciation
[Li-nus]
Gender
Male
Meaning
Flaxen-Haired
Origin
Greek
A person with flaxen hair.

Linus Popularity Snapshot

Across the entire US Social Security Administration record (1880–2024), 5,261 baby boys have been named Linus. The name peaked in 2017 with 166 US births that year (rank #1147). In 2024, ranked #1425 nationally — 278 places below its 2017 peak.

Top States for Linus

Based on 1910–2024 US SSA state-level records, the three states with the most Linus births are: California (374), Minnesota (186), New York (167).

Other Greek-Origin Names Like Linus

If you like Linus's Greek origin, consider these related names: Abdera, Abderus, Absyrtus, Abydos, Acantha. Browse all Greek names →

5-Letter Names Starting with L

Names with Linus's exact length and starting letter: Laban, Labib, Labid, Lacee, Lacey.

Quick Facts About Linus

1,029
Greek baby names in our dictionary
484
Greek male names
196
5-letter L-names in our dictionary
389
L-male names total
Not in registry
US SSA records — name appears fewer than 5 times in any year

Famous People Named Linus

1 notable figure from history and culture who share the name Linus.

  • Linus Torvalds is the software engineer who created the Linux kernel operating system.

Browse more famous Linuss and similar first names →

Looking for names like Linus?

A dedicated page with 60+ related names — spelling variants, rhymes, alliterations, same-origin matches, and shared meaning concepts — lives at its own URL so each kind of similarity gets a deeper treatment than fits here.

See all names like Linus →

Compare Linus to Other Popular Names

Side-by-side popularity charts and crossover years for Linus against today's most popular boys-name peers (top 8 by US births in the last 10 years of SSA records).

Compare to a different name →

Linus Baby Name Ideas