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Linda

Girl name · 2,516 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Linda: 2,516 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to girls, peaking at 316 births in 1974.

With a meaning that shifts gracefully between languages, Linda derives from the Spanish and Portuguese word for “pretty,” itself rooted in the Latin *linda* (“beautiful”). In Germanic traditions, it can also be a short form of names ending in *-lind*, meaning “soft” or “tender.” Famous bearers include Linda McCartney, the photographer and musician who inspired Paul McCartney’s tender “Maybe I’m Amazed,” and Linda Ronstadt, the celebrated rock and country singer. Place connections are less direct, though the name appears in place names such as Linda, California. A notable variant is Belinda, which shares the same lyrical sound, while the name enjoyed enormous popularity in English-speaking countries from the 1940s through the 1960s, evoking a warm, classic charm.