What does Ying mean?
Ying is commonly the character 英, “flower, brave, outstanding.”
What does Ling mean?
Ling is commonly the character 玲, the tinkling of fine jade, or 灵, “spirit, quick.”
Ying vs Ling
Which is more popular?
Ying and Ling are given to a similar number of US babies today.
| Ying | Ling | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Flower, hero (英) | Delicate jade (玲) |
| Origin | Chinese | Chinese |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | YING | LING |
| Syllables | 1 | 1 |
| First appeared | 1980 | 1977 |
| Peak year | 1992 (16) | 1981 (13) |
| In 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| Trend | Declining | Declining |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Ying
Ling
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Ying | Ling |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 0 | 7 |
| 2010s | 0 | 30 |
| 2000s | 70 | 33 |
| 1990s | 84 | 42 |
| 1980s | 106 | 75 |
| 1970s | 0 | 10 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Ying or Ling more popular?
Ying and Ling are given to a similar number of US babies today.
What is the difference between Ying and Ling?
Ying means Flower, hero (英) (Chinese origin), while Ling means Delicate jade (玲) (Chinese origin).
Which name is older, Ying or Ling?
In US records, Ying first appears in 1980 and Ling in 1977, so Ling has the longer recorded history.