Lindsay

Lindsay comes from an English and Scottish surname that points back to the English region of Lindsey. The regional name is connected with Lincoln and an older element meaning island, referring to the surrounding wet landscape. The deeper Lincoln element relates to a Celtic word for a lake or pool, rather than the linden tree.

The surname became an established first name for boys before growing familiar for girls as well. Actress Lindsay Wagner and filmmaker Lindsay Anderson show that the same spelling has been carried by women and men. Lindsey and Lyndsay are related forms, but their endings do not impose fixed rules about usage. Lindsay’s strongest historical story is geographical and familial, with a later life as a widely recognizable given name.