Find out how popular the first name Linus has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Linus by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Linus is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 114 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Linus.

The history of the first name Linus

The name Linus has its origins in the ancient Etruscan language, which was spoken in what is now modern-day Italy. It is derived from the Etruscan word "linu," meaning "flax" or "linen." The name was likely given to children born in families involved in the production or trade of linen, which was a valuable commodity in ancient times.

Linus later became a popular name in ancient Rome, where it was associated with the Roman god of vegetation and wine, Liber. In Roman mythology, Liber was often depicted as a young man wearing a linen garment, which may have further contributed to the association between the name Linus and linen.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Linus can be found in the writings of the ancient Greek poet Hesiod, who lived around the 8th century BCE. Hesiod mentions a character named Linus in his work "Works and Days," describing him as a legendary musician and poet.

In the early Christian tradition, the name Linus was associated with one of the first bishops of Rome. According to tradition, Linus was a disciple of the apostles Peter and Paul and served as the second pope after St. Peter, from approximately 67 to 76 CE.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Linus. One of the most famous was Linus Pauling (1901-1994), an American chemist and biochemist who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1954 and the Nobel Peace Prize in 1962, becoming the only person to have won two unshared Nobel Prizes.

Another notable Linus was Linus Torvalds (born 1969), the Finnish-American software engineer who initiated the development of the Linux kernel, which became one of the most widely used operating systems in the world.

In the realm of music, Linus Pauling (1935-2021) was a renowned American jazz drummer who played with many legendary musicians, including Thelonius Monk and Miles Davis.

The name Linus has also been associated with the beloved character Linus van Pelt from the Peanuts comic strip by Charles M. Schulz, who was known for his attachment to his security blanket.

Finally, in the field of literature, Linus Roache (born 1964) is a British actor best known for his roles in films such as "Batman Begins" and "Priest."

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Linus was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Linus, please contact us.

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