What does Ling mean?
Ling is commonly the character 玲, the tinkling of fine jade, or 灵, “spirit, quick.”
What does Xia mean?
Xia is commonly the character 霞, “the rosy glow of dawn,” or 夏, “summer.”
Ling vs Xia
Which is more popular?
Xia is more popular than Ling today: about 25 US babies were given the name Xia in 2025, compared with 0 named Ling.
| Ling | Xia | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Delicate jade (玲) | Rosy dawn clouds (霞) |
| Origin | Chinese | Chinese |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | LING | SHYAH |
| Syllables | 1 | 1 |
| First appeared | 1977 | 1981 |
| Peak year | 1981 (13) | 2019 (37) |
| In 2025 | 0 | 25 |
| Trend | Declining | Rising |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Ling
Xia
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Ling | Xia |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 7 | 179 |
| 2010s | 30 | 251 |
| 2000s | 33 | 145 |
| 1990s | 42 | 120 |
| 1980s | 75 | 108 |
| 1970s | 10 | 0 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Ling or Xia more popular?
Xia is more popular than Ling today: about 25 US babies were given the name Xia in 2025, compared with 0 named Ling.
What is the difference between Ling and Xia?
Ling means Delicate jade (玲) (Chinese origin), while Xia means Rosy dawn clouds (霞) (Chinese origin).
Which name is older, Ling or Xia?
In US records, Ling first appears in 1977 and Xia in 1981, so Ling has the longer recorded history.