Lincoln
Inherited from Middle English Lincolne, from Old English Lincolle, Lindcolen, Lindcylene, from Latin Lindum Colōnia (“the Roman settlement Lindum Colonia”), from…
Every Lincoln since 1880 — 106,968 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Lincoln
Lincoln is a top-100 name for boys in the United States, ranked #69 in 2025 with 4,703 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 106,968 American babies have been named Lincoln. Its peak came in 2017, when 8,443 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2010s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Lincoln stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Lincoln year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 75 | #2,396 | 4,703 | #69 |
| 2024 | 77 | #2,377 | 4,580 | #73 |
| 2023 | 89 | #2,152 | 4,866 | #64 |
| 2022 | 126 | #1,672 | 5,625 | #54 |
| 2021 | 148 | #1,455 | 6,700 | #45 |
| 2020 | 183 | #1,243 | 7,061 | #40 |
| 2019 | 185 | #1,256 | 7,473 | #41 |
| 2018 | 165 | #1,368 | 7,408 | #41 |
| 2017 | 241 | #1,066 | 8,202 | #41 |
| 2016 | 164 | #1,416 | 7,129 | #51 |
| 2015 | 158 | #1,459 | 6,001 | #66 |
| 2014 | 127 | #1,668 | 4,824 | #87 |
| 2013 | 61 | #2,826 | 4,039 | #95 |
| 2012 | 34 | #4,346 | 2,912 | #132 |
| 2011 | 24 | #5,651 | 2,158 | #179 |
| 2010 | 15 | #8,129 | 1,871 | #199 |
| 2009 | 21 | #6,456 | 2,012 | #189 |
| 2008 | 22 | #6,271 | 1,818 | #211 |
| 2007 | 13 | #9,326 | 1,655 | #224 |
| 2006 | 9 | #12,012 | 1,109 | #301 |
| 2005 | 10 | #10,608 | 502 | #495 |
| 2004 | 10 | #10,372 | 413 | #555 |
| 2003 | 6 | #14,970 | 410 | #549 |
| 2002 | 5 | #17,030 | 329 | #610 |
| 2001 | 7 | #12,872 | 309 | #616 |
| 2000 | 7 | #12,579 | 247 | #711 |
| 1995 | 9 | #9,210 | 191 | #777 |
| 1990 | 5 | #14,255 | 143 | #856 |
| 1985 | 5 | #11,685 | 117 | #828 |
| 1980 | — | — | 95 | #916 |
| 1975 | — | — | 147 | #679 |
| 1970 | — | — | 146 | #687 |
| 1965 | — | — | 128 | #656 |
| 1960 | — | — | 85 | #829 |
| 1955 | — | — | 85 | #796 |
| 1950 | — | — | 87 | #739 |
| 1945 | — | — | 89 | #644 |
| 1940 | — | — | 70 | #733 |
| 1935 | — | — | 76 | #696 |
| 1930 | — | — | 86 | #674 |
| 1925 | — | — | 142 | #512 |
| 1920 | — | — | 137 | #523 |
| 1915 | — | — | 118 | #513 |
| 1910 | — | — | 36 | #459 |
| 1905 | — | — | 19 | #539 |
| 1900 | — | — | 20 | #545 |
| 1895 | — | — | 26 | #375 |
| 1890 | — | — | 13 | #553 |
| 1885 | — | — | 11 | #589 |
| 1880 | — | — | 10 | #620 |
Famous people named Lincoln
- Lincoln Ellsworth Explorer · 1880–1951
- Lincoln Soccer player · b. 1979
- Lincoln Chafee Politician · b. 1953
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Lincoln mean?
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,…
How popular is the name Lincoln in 2025?
Lincoln ranked #69 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 4,703 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Lincoln?
106,968 babies have been named Lincoln in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Lincoln most popular?
Lincoln peaked in 2017, when 8,443 newborns received the name.
Is Lincoln a boy or girl name?
Lincoln is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 98% of babies with the name.
Is the name Lincoln rising or falling?
Lincoln has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Lincoln?
Well-known people named Lincoln include Lincoln Ellsworth (explorer), Lincoln (soccer player), Lincoln Chafee (politician).