Lynnette
A feminine name of French origin meaning "pretty, shining one".
Name Census estimates that about 11,950 living Americans carry the first name Lynnette. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Lynnette today is around 57 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Lynnette births was 1964 (506 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Lynnette. 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.
People living today
12K
~ 1 in 28,682 Americans
Peak year
1964
506 babies that year
Average age
57
years old
2024 SSA rank
#8,719
Tracked since 1902
Popularity
Lynnette: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Lynnette from the 1900s through to the 2020s, spanning 13 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 4,711 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1960s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Lynnette 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 Lynnette during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Lynnettes live
The SSA's state-level files cover 43 states and territories. California, Illinois, New York recorded the most babies named Lynnette, while West Virginia, Nevada, Arkansas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 272 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Lynnette
Lynnette is a feminine given name derived from the Old German name Lindelind, which means "linden tree protector" or "tender linden." The linden tree was a sacred symbol in Germanic pagan tradition, valued for its beauty, strength, and medicinal properties. The name Lindelind emerged during the Middle Ages and was later anglicized to Lynnette.
The earliest recorded use of the name Lynnette can be traced back to the 12th century French poet Chrétien de Troyes, who featured a character named Lynnette in his famous Arthurian romance "Le Chevalier de la Charrette" (The Knight of the Cart). In this work, Lynnette is a damsel in distress who seeks the help of Sir Lancelot to defeat a powerful knight.
Another notable historical figure named Lynnette was Lynnette Merriman (1871-1949), an American illustrator and painter known for her exquisite book illustrations and portraits. Her work graced the pages of numerous publications, including Harper's Magazine and The Century Magazine.
In the realm of literature, Lynnette Hunter (1891-1968) was a British writer and novelist best known for her novels set in rural England, such as "The Whistling Valley" and "The Penny Ferry." Her works captured the essence of country life and the resilience of the human spirit.
Moving to the world of classical music, Lynnette Seah (born 1973) is a renowned Singaporean violinist and conductor. She has performed with various orchestras and has been recognized for her contributions to the promotion of classical music in Southeast Asia.
Finally, Lynnette Cole (1949-2021) was an accomplished American actress and singer. She gained recognition for her portrayal of Mary Magdalene in the Broadway production of "Jesus Christ Superstar" and her appearances in numerous television shows and films, including "Slaughter's Big Rip-Off" and "The Wonderful World of Disney."
People
Lynnette + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Lynnette 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
Lynnette: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Lynnette?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 11,950 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Lynnette 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 28,682 US residents.
Is Lynnette a common name?
We classify Lynnette as "Uncommon". It ranks above 97.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 15,206 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Lynnette most popular?
The single biggest year for Lynnette was 1964, when 506 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Lynnette is about 57 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Lynnette a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Lynnette 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.