Lynn comes from the Welsh word llyn and means "lake"; it spread in the 20th century as a short form of Linda and Carolyn and became the quintessential American middle name of the 1950s and 1960s. Lynn Redgrave and Lynn Fontanne were well-known actresses of that era. As a first name Lynn ranked number 1185 in 2000 and has slowly declined to number 2558 in 2025.