lynn

Lynn is a name that can refer to a given name, a surname, or several place names. In English, the term derives from Old English linn or linn meaning a pool, lake, or waterway; related forms appear in Welsh as llyn meaning lake. The word has been used in place-names and personal names since medieval times.

As a given name, Lynn has been used for both sexes but is most common as a feminine name in the 20th century. It is often derived from the surname or from a place-name element, and it has been adopted in various English-speaking countries.

As a surname, Lynn originated from places named Lynn in England and later spread to other regions through migration and family lineages. Surname usage commonly denotes geographic or topographic origins.

In geography, several places bear the name Lynn. King's Lynn is a historic port town in Norfolk, England, commonly referred to simply as Lynn. In the United States, Lynn, Massachusetts, is a city located northeast of Boston that developed as an industrial center with a diverse population. The name also appears in other localities and features associated with water, reflecting the original meaning of the term.