# Linda

/ˈɫɪndə/ (US) · CEFR A1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/linda
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Definition

a common name for a woman. It was very popular in English-speaking countries in the middle of the 20th century.

For teachers: a female given name of Germanic origin, meaning 'soft' or 'tender', or derived from the Spanish word for 'beautiful'.

## Examples

- My aunt Linda lives in a small house by the sea.
- The manager introduced Linda as the new head of the marketing department during the morning meeting.
- While the name Linda peaked in popularity during the late 1940s, it remains a classic example of a name that defined an entire generation of women in the United States.

## Usage notes

- As a proper noun, it is always capitalized and typically used without an article unless referring to a specific person among others of the same name.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.