Etymology & Historical Origin of the Baby Name Lindsay

Lindsay is an English surname derived from a location, so-called Lindsey in Lincolnshire which in Anglo-Saxon times was known as the Kingdom of Lindsey. In this case, Lindsey would come from the Olde English elements “Lelli” (an ancient personal name with uncertain meaning) and “eg” meaning “island” (Lelli’s island). Since Lindsey in Lincolnshire is located on the east coast of England, this would make some sense given the presence of water along the North Sea. The name is also connected with Lincoln, a name that comes to us from ancient Celts (Brythonic rather than Gaelic tribe) and means “lake settlement”. Clearly we have a water theme going on here. We also have read that Lindsay means “linden tree by the water”, which is a tree native to Britain so there could be some truth to this claim, as well (although we were unable to verify it). Lastly, Lindsay is a Scottish Lowlands clan name probably originating from ancient Anglo-Saxon ancestors (others speculate the Normans). Because the family has had loyalties on both sides of the border, they have a history of sometimes aligning themselves with the Scots and sometime with the English. Historically both Lindsey and Lindsay have been considered unisex names but the modern day usage is now almost exclusively female.

All About the Baby Name – Lindsay

Personality

OF THE GIRL NAME LINDSAY

The Three energy is powerful and enthusiastic. These personalities are cheerful, full of self-expression, and often quite emotional. They have an artistic flair and "gift-of-gab" that makes them natural entertainers. Their joyfulness bubbles over, and their infectious exuberance draws a crowd. The Three personality is like a child - forever young and full of delight. They are charming, witty, and generally happy people. The Three personality lives in the "now" and has a spontaneous nature. Threes seem to live with a bright and seemingly unbreakable aura that attracts others to them. In turn, they are deeply loyal and loving to their friends and family. Luck also has a tendency to favor number Threes.

Popularity

OF THE GIRL NAME LINDSAY

Lindsay made her first brief appearance on the female naming charts in the early 1950s, but she didn’t stick around for long. The name was revived in the mid-1970s mostly thanks to actress Lindsay Wagner who had a recurring role on a very popular TV series called “The Six Million Dollar Man” (1974-1978) before receiving her own spin-off series “The Bionic Woman” (1976-1978). These shows were quite popular in their day so audiences across America took notice of the pretty blond actress’s name and started using it with more frequency. In fact, it wasn’t before long that Lindsay shot up to the Top 100 list of most commonly used girl’s names, an honor she achieved in 1978. Lindsay would remain a Top 100 favorite for only about 16 years; her success was apparently a fleeting fad influenced by pop-culture. Today the name continues its backwards trajectory – even Lindsay Lohan can’t save this one (in fact a lot of people think she’s ruined its appeal). In any case, Lindsay saw her heyday during the 1980s when many other unisex names were becoming more and more female (Lindsay, Stacy, Courtney, Ashley, Shannon, Kelly and Lauren to name a few). When you put them together, Lindsey and Lindsay do moderately well in America today all things considered. It’s still a strong, modern and hip sounding name. Lindz is a common nickname.

Quick Facts

ON LINDSAY

GENDER:

Girl

ORIGIN:

English

NUMBER OF SYLLABLES:

2

RANKING POPULARITY:

685

PRONUNCIATION:

LIND-zee

SIMPLE MEANING:

Lelli’s Island

Characteristics

OF LINDSAY

Communicative

Creative

Optimistic

Popular

Social

Dramatic

Happy

Cultural References to the Baby Name – Lindsay

Literary Characters

OF THE BABY NAME LINDSAY

We cannot find any significant literary characters by the name of Lindsay

Childrens Books

ON THE BABY NAME LINDSAY

We cannot find any childrens books with the first name Lindsay


Popular Songs

ON LINDSAY

Lindsay Quit Lollygagging
a song by Chiodos

Famous People

NAMED LINDSAY

Lindsay Lohan (actress)
Lindsay Wagner (actress)
Lindsay Buckingham (musician)
Lindsay Ellingson (supermodel)
Lindsay Davenport (tennis player)

Children of Famous People

NAMED LINDSAY

We cannot find any children of famous people with the first name Lindsay

Historic Figures

WITH THE NAME LINDSAY

We cannot find any historically significant people with the first name Lindsay