Lindsay
A feminine Germanic name meaning "linden tree lined meadow."
Name Census estimates that about 126,489 living Americans carry the first name Lindsay. It is a predominantly female name (96.2% of registrations). The average person named Lindsay today is around 38 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Lindsay births was 1983 (8,713 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Lindsay. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Lindsay started out as a boys' name but over the decades crossed over and is now given to girls far more often.
- • Although Lindsay is used almost entirely for girls, the SSA data does show 5,136 boys registered with the name since 1880.
- • Compared to the 1980s, recent registration numbers for Lindsay have dropped to less than 5% of what they once were.
People living today
126K
~ 1 in 2,710 Americans
Peak year
1983
8,713 babies that year
Average age
38
years old
2021 SSA rank
#1,982
Tracked since 1880
Gender
Gender distribution for Lindsay
Lindsay leans heavily female at 96.2% of total registrations, but 5,136 boys have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Lindsay as a male name
- Ranked #10,354 in 2021
- 7 male births in 2021
- Peak: 1960 (152 births)
Lindsay as a female name
- Ranked #1,982 in 2024
- 99 female births in 2024
- Peak: 1983 (8,622 births)
Popularity
Lindsay: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Lindsay from the 1880s through to the 2020s, spanning 15 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 69,150 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1980s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Lindsay by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Lindsay during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Lindsays live
The SSA's state-level files cover 51 states and territories. California, New York, Pennsylvania recorded the most babies named Lindsay, while Hawaii, Wyoming, Alaska recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 2,537 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Lindsay
The name Lindsay is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "lind" meaning "lime tree" and "ey" meaning "island." It was originally a place name referring to the limestone region in Lincolnshire, England.
In ancient times, the name was associated with nature and the natural world, reflecting the significance of the lime tree and the limestone landscape in the region. The earliest recorded use of the name Lindsay dates back to the 12th century, with references found in historical documents from that time.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Lindsay. One of the earliest recorded instances was Lindsay of Pitscottie, a 16th-century Scottish historian and author who lived from around 1500 to 1580. His work, "The Chronicles of Scotland," remains an important historical source for that era.
Another significant figure was Sir David Lindsay, a Scottish Renaissance poet and courtier who lived from around 1490 to 1555. He is best known for his satirical poem "The Thrie Estaitis," which criticized the Scottish clergy and nobility of his time.
In the realm of politics, Lindsay Hoyle, born in 1957, is a British politician who has served as the Speaker of the House of Commons since 2019. He has been a Member of Parliament since 1997 and is highly respected for his impartial leadership in the House.
In the world of sports, Lindsay Davenport, born in 1976, is a former professional tennis player from the United States. She won three Grand Slam singles titles and was ranked No. 1 in the world in 1998, 2001, and 2005.
Finally, Lindsay Lohan, born in 1986, is an American actress and singer who rose to fame as a child star in the late 1990s and early 2000s. She starred in popular films such as "The Parent Trap," "Freaky Friday," and "Mean Girls," and has also released several albums.
These are just a few examples of the many individuals throughout history who have carried the name Lindsay, a name with roots in the natural landscapes of England and a rich cultural heritage.
Notable bearers
Famous people named Lindsay
People
Lindsay + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Lindsay as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with L
Other first names starting with L with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Lindsay: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Lindsay?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 126,489 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Lindsay going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 2,710 US residents.
Is Lindsay a common name?
We classify Lindsay as "Common". It ranks above 99.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 135,419 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Lindsay most popular?
The single biggest year for Lindsay was 1983, when 8,713 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Lindsay is about 38 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Lindsay a female name?
Yes, 96.2% of people registered as Lindsay in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.