There’s the tree, the place name, and the US president, too.
Thanks to Merrisa for suggesting Linden as our Baby Name of the Day.
First things first: Merrisa suggested Linden as a boy’s name. It could be, an alternative to Landon and Logan and Liam. Spelling variant Lyndon has been worn by a former US President, after all, and there’s no shortage of masculine role models, including athletes from the NFL and NHL.
But Linden has possibilities as a girls’ name, too. Many tree names feel inherently gender neutral – think of Rowan or Cedar. Plus Linden reminds me of long-time girls’ favorite Linda. Possible short form Lindy brings to mind aviator Charles Lindbergh, but also feels perfectly appealing for a daughter. British actress Linden Travers appeared in several Alfred Hitchcock pictures; she was born Florence Lindon-Travers.
As of 2010, Linden was a rarity, and one holding steady as a gender neutral choice. 57 boys received the name, while 59 girls were called Linden. Spelling variants cloud the picture slightly: a few boys were called Lindon, a few girls were named Lynden. But overall, this is one that neither gender can claim.
But let’s head back to the forest. Linden trees are sometimes called lime trees, but that’s a quirk of etymology. They’re actually deciduous trees, most from the genus tilia, found throughout the Northern Hemisphere. Some are said to live for centuries, even a thousand years or more.
References to the tree appear in ancient writings by Homer and Ovid. Other meanings have attached over the years, including:
- Linden trees were gathering places in pre-Christian Germany, a common location for communities to hold trials and celebrations alike.
- They were meaningful in Slavic cultures, too, and the tree remains a national symbol of Slovenia; a common place name, especially in Poland; and the inspiration behind the Croatian name for the month of June.
- Literary references trace back from the Middle Ages to modern times, including Coleridge, Goethe, and Herman Hesse. Joan Baez mentions the linden tree in a song lyric.
Chances are Linden is also a place name for many readers. There’s Berlin’s Unter den Linden, a historic thoroughfare lined with the trees, as well as landmarks like the Brandenburg Gate. (And the source of this charming story about two women named Linden, courtesy of Nancy.) In the US, Linden, New Jersey is a stone’s throw from Manhattan. In London, the London Corinthian Sailing Club operates out of Linden House. Add in dozens of other communities throughout the English-speaking world and Linden is a common feature on many maps.
There’s much to love about Linden, a name that feels genuinely gender neutral. Like many nature names, Linden is crisp and modern without feeling invented or forced. It could be a great way to honor a grandmother called Linda, or maybe an alternative to Dylan. If you’re after a rarity that will feel perfectly comfortable on a 21st century child, Linden could fit the bill.
Linden is the name of the street my mother grew up on, and the house (which we had to sell a few years ago) holds all of my early memories and was one of my favorite places. I’ve contemplated using it as a middle name for either a boy or a girl.
I could see this as gender neutral, but because the connection to the former President is much stronger to me than the nature connection I hear it as masculine and the Lyndon spelling feels more correct. That said, I do see how Linden is similar to female names like Linda or Lauren. Plus I watch The Killing so Linden feels very surnamey to me and thus quite masculine.
I know of a toddler Lyndon, son of a high school classmate. I’ve wondered what the inspiration was. Unlike Lyndon, Linden feels feminine to me, and Lindy is very sweet, my preferred nickname for Lucinda, but a yucky aunt Linda ensures that I won’t use it.
I really like Linden. I lean toward boy as well, but agree with what you’ve said – overall (y’know, outside of my own musty, rusty brain) it’s truly a neutral name. It definitely sounds right enough as a girl’s name. Also, I had no idea it had all kinds slavic world connections – very interesting!
I really like Linden, but I do prefer it for a boy. Although I do like the Lyndon spelling, I find it to be too close to London so I would probably just stick with Linden.
Carl Von Linne or Carolus Linnaeus the swedish botanist’s father chose linne or linnaeus as their family surname after the the revered linden tree. I prefer the male name Linnaeus to Linden but since the linden tree is considered a feminine tree, Linnea would also
be a nice way to honor the tree.
Oops! I just realized all that info was in your Linnea post!
I really love Linden on a girl. It’s linked to Lindsay in my mind, but with more of a soft nature vibe. I would absolutely use it on a girl, though I don’t know how it would read with my other children’s names, Caleb and Annabel.
Linden is also the name of the detective on AMC’s The Killing. Its her surname, but hardly anyone calls her by her first name.
I only like Linden on a boy – but Tilia would be charming for a girl. Would Linden and Tilia would be too cheesy as twins? 🙂
I think you’d be safe that no one would ever make the link … or that it would be such a surprise when they discover it that it wouldn’t be a big deal. It’s not quite like naming your kids Romeo and Juliet, where everyone raises an eyebrow.
I’ve never fallen for Linden on a girl — though the connection to the tree is nice, I find the sound quite masculine and prefer the nature connection in a boys’ name. The Linden spelling does read feminine so my favorite form is actually Lyndon, a strong, underrated choice.
In Dutch it becomes Linde without the n. Makes it less obvious a tree in English, and to me at least, feels a little more feminine.