The baby name Linden blends the best of the natural world with strong surname style.
Thanks to Merrisa for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day.
WHAT DOES THE NAME LINDEN MEAN?
You might read that linden translates to lime tree.
Fair enough, but that’s misleading. No citrus fruits grow on lindens.
Instead, it seems to be a misunderstanding. Linden comes from the German linde, meaning lithe, referring to the flexible, lightweight wood.
Somehow English speakers misunderstood linden for lime.
Instead of small citrus fruits, the tree boasts heart-shaped leaves and wood that lends itself to carving everything from puppets to church altars. The bark can be woven into fabric, and when it flowers, those blossoms can be used for tea.
It’s often considered a sacred tree.
As is often the case, tree names surface on the map. Berlin’s Unter den Linden stretches through the city, with the trees planted from the Berlin Cathedral to the Brandenburg Gate. The boulevard served as inspiration for at least two families.
Leipzig, Germany takes its name from lipa, the Slavic word for the tree.
The linden tree belongs to the genus Tilia; it’s also known as basswood.
But this is only the beginning of the story.
HOW ABOUT LYNDON?
US president Lyndon Johnson makes another spelling of this name familiar.
As it happens, Lyndon, Lynden, Lindon, and even Linton, Lind, Linde, and Linder all all connected to the tree, too.
The Texas-born politician didn’t get his name until he was a few months old because his parents couldn’t agree. Finally, his dad suggested Linden, inspired by the surname of a local attorney. While his mother wasn’t thrilled, she agreed – as long as she could spell it her way.
So Lyndon is just … Linden, really.
That was way back in 1908. Trends come and go, but parents have been re-spelling their baby’s name forever.
One more notable Lyndon that might come to mind: Barry Lyndon. William Makepeace Thackeray wrote the story of a down-on-his-luck Irish man who tries to improve his station. Barry succeeds and fails and succeeds again.
In 1975, Stanley Kubrick adapted the story for the big screen, earning a Best Picture nomination for his efforts.
IS LINDEN A GENDER-NETURAL NAME?
Nature names in general, and tree names specifically, tend to cross gender lines with ease.
Linden sounds a lot like popular picks Landon, Logan, and even chart-topping Liam.
There’s the tree, the place name, and the US president, too.
Then again, Linda dominated the US popularity charts from the 1940s into the 1960s. Names like Lindsay also blur the lines.
Famous figures include:
- British actress Linden Travers, known for her work in the 1930s and 40s, particularly in Alfred Hitchcock’s The Lady Vanishes. Her birth name? Florence Lindon-Travers.
- More recently, actor Linden Ashby – born Clarence Linden Ashby Jr. – appeared on television series like Teen Wolf.
Factor in athletes, journalists, and other high-profile figures and its hard to say whether this is a boy or girl name.
Historic houses, like London’s Linden House, might also make the name familiar.
HOW POPULAR IS THE NAME LINDEN?
During the 1940s, Linden surfaced in the US Top 100 boys name list a handful of times.
But mostly, this name has stayed under-the-radar.
As of 2025, 129 boys and 81 girls received the name Linden. Combined, that represents a new high.
Other spellings’ 2025 numbers include:
- Lyndon: 65 boys and 16 girls
- Lynden: 23 boys and 35 girls
- Lindon: 9 boys
As a given name, it leans slightly male. But only slightly.
UNDISCOVERED POSSIBILITY
Overall, the baby name Linden counts as an overlooked nature name rich in possibility.
It fits a vibe parents love right now: surname-meets-nature. History and meaning, without any strongly specific reference to a single person or place.
It’s an obvious way to honor a loved one with a name like Linda or Lindsay, or so many simliar sounds.
If you’re looking for a name that speaks to 21st century trends without being overused in any way, this could be the perfect name for your child.
What do you think of the baby name Linden?
First published on April 5, 2012, this post was revised on October 8, 2014 and again on August 4, 2026.
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.