Linda

Etymology

The German name Linde was originally an abbreviated form of older names such as Dietlinde and Sieglinde. In the form Linda, it was used by the writer Jean Paul for a leading character in his four-volume novel Titan, published 1800–1803, and it became popular in German-speaking countries thereafter.

The name-element Linde is possibly derived from the same root as the linden tree, with reference to a shield made of that wood, but may have become associated with Germanic lind meaning "soft, tender", the image of the tree being used to indicate a gentle personality. Subsequent support for its appeal may have come from its unrelated usage in the Neo-Latin languages (Italian, Spanish or Portuguese) where the word linda, which is the feminine form of lindo, means "beautiful, pretty, cute" (Spanish and Portuguese) and "clean, neat, tidy" (Italian). It is also a common name in South Africa, Linda, meaning "Wait" (IsiZulu and IsiXhosa).

Among other names in use in English-speaking countries that include the -linda suffix are Melinda, Belinda, Celinda, and Rosalinda.

The name days for Linda are on February 13 (Hungary, Poland), April 15 (Finland, Germany), May 17 (United States), June 19 (Switzerland), June 20 (Sweden), June 25 (Estonia), August 21 (Latvia), September 1 (Czech Republic), September 2 (Slovakia), and September 4 (Poland).

In the Albanian version, Linda is a feminine name which means "birth" or "fertility". The masculine form is Lind. In South African terms the name Linda means "wait" and is not gender based; similar names are Lindiwe also meaning "waited for" but often just written as Lindi in short. Lindokuhle (waiting for something beautiful) and its short form Lindo are related South African-American names.

Usage

Linda was at the height of popularity in the Anglosphere in the middle of the 20th century, particularly in the 1950s. Increased use of the name has been attributed to the hit song “Linda” written by Jack Lawrence and recorded by different artists in 1946. The name has since declined in use. In recent years, Linda has been a name that is more common for the daughters of Chinese and South Korean immigrants to the United States. The name is still in use in some European countries (mainly Central European countries and Italy).

Notable people

Linda (born 1975/1977), Russian singer

Linda Arvidson (1884–1949), American actress

Linda Avey (born 1960), American biologist and entrepreneur

Linda Barker (born 1961), British television presenter and interior designer

Linda Barnard (born 1968), South African tennis player

Linda Bean (1941–2024), American businessperson and donor

Linda Behnken, American commercial fisher

Linda L. M. Bennett (born 1951), American political scientist

Linda Blair (born 1959), American actress and animal rights activist

Linda Bolder (born 1988), Israeli-Dutch judoka

Linda Bondestam (born 1977), Finnish illustrator and children's writer

Linda Bove (born 1945), American actress

Linda M. Boxer, American hematologist and academic administrator

Linda Brasil (born 1973), Brazilian politician

Linda Brava (born 1970), Finnish violinist

Linda B. Buck (born 1947), American biologist

Linda Bubon (born 1951), American bookstore founder

Fictional characters

Linda di Chamounix, the protagonist of the opera Linda di Chamounix

Linda Christie, a character in the film Play It Again, Sam, based on the play of the same title

Linda, a character in the 1988 American science fiction movie Mac and Me

Linda, a character in the 2009 American comedy film The Hangover

Linda, a character on the children's television program Sesame Street

Linda Belcher, wife of Bob Belcher in the animated comedy Bob's Burgers

Linda Carter, a character from the BBC soap opera, EastEnders

Supergirl (Linda Danvers), a DC Comics superhero

Linda Flynn-Fletcher, the mother of Phineas in the Disney Channel animated series Phineas and Ferb

Linda Gergenblatt, a character in the 2012 American comedy film Wanderlust

Linda Gunderson, the protagonist of the 2011 animated film Rio

Linda Hanson, a character in the 2007 American thriller film Premonition

Linda Loughran, the mother of Jonathan in the 2015 animated film Hotel Transylvania 2

Linda Melinda, the main protagonist in video game DreadOut