Linken
A diminutive of the masculine name Lincoln, meaning "town by the pool".
Name Census estimates that about 453 living Americans carry the first name Linken. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Linken today is around 11 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Linken births was 2018 (41 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Linken. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Linken with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
453
~ 1 in 756,632 Americans
Peak year
2018
41 babies that year
Average age
11
years old
2024 SSA rank
#7,511
Tracked since 2003
Popularity
Linken: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Linken from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 285 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Linken remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Linken 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 Linken during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Linkens live
Origin
Meaning and history of Linken
The given name Linken has its origins in the Germanic languages, tracing back to the early medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old German word "linkan," which means "to bend" or "to bow." This name was commonly associated with those who had a physical attribute, such as a bent or crooked limb, or perhaps a symbolic meaning of humility or deference.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Linken can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of medieval documents from the 10th century. This text mentions a nobleman named Linken von Quedlinburg, who was a prominent figure in the court of Emperor Otto I.
In the 12th century, the name Linken appeared in the Nibelungenlied, a famous German epic poem. The character Linken is depicted as a loyal warrior who fought alongside the legendary hero Siegfried. This literary reference suggests that the name was in widespread use among the Germanic peoples during the High Middle Ages.
One notable figure in history who bore the name Linken was Linken van Amstel, a Dutch merchant and explorer who lived from 1420 to 1487. He is credited with establishing trade routes between the Netherlands and the Baltic region, contributing significantly to the economic prosperity of his homeland.
In the 16th century, Linken Schmied was a renowned German blacksmith and metalworker who lived from 1503 to 1572. His intricate ironwork creations adorned many churches and castles across Europe, and he is considered one of the greatest artisans of the Renaissance era.
Another historical figure with the name Linken was Linken von Hohenzollern, a Prussian military commander who lived from 1658 to 1723. He played a crucial role in the Great Northern War against Sweden and was instrumental in the expansion of the Prussian territories during the reign of King Frederick William I.
While the name Linken may not be as common in modern times, its rich historical legacy serves as a testament to its enduring presence throughout the centuries, particularly among the Germanic peoples of Europe.
People
Linken + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Linken 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
Linken: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Linken?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 453 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Linken 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 756,632 US residents.
Is Linken a common name?
We classify Linken as "Very Rare". It ranks above 83.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 457 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Linken most popular?
The single biggest year for Linken was 2018, when 41 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Linken is about 11 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Linken in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Linken a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Linken in the SSA data are male. 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.
Is Linken still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Linken in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Linken can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many Americans are named Linken?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many Americans are named Linken at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.