Lynette is a feminine given name of Welsh origin. It is derived from the Welsh word "Lyn" which means "lake". The suffix "-ette" is often added to names to create a diminutive or pet form, so Lynette can be translated as "little lake".
The name Lynette has been used since at least the Middle Ages in Wales, but it was not particularly common until the 20th century when it became popular in English-speaking countries. It is still relatively rare compared to other names like Lynn or Lindsay which have similar origins.
There are a few notable people named Lynette throughout history. For example, Lynette Yiadom-Boakye is a British artist known for her figurative paintings, and Lynette Woodard is an American former basketball player who was the first woman to play in the National Basketball Association (NBA). However, there is no significant historical figure associated with this name.
In popular culture, Lynette Scavo is a character on the television show "Desperate Housewives", but it is unclear whether this portrayal has had any impact on the popularity of the name. Overall, Lynette is a unique and interesting name with a beautiful meaning and an intriguing history.
These statistics reveal a significant fluctuation in the number of babies named Lynette over time. The name's popularity peaked between the late 1940s and mid-1950s, with a total of 2873 births during these years alone. This high period is marked by the highest annual figure recorded: 1137 births in 1956. However, from the early 1960s onwards, there's a notable decline, dropping to triple-digit figures and continuing to decrease until the late 1980s.
From the 1990s onward, Lynette becomes quite rare, with fewer than 200 births per year. This trend continues into the 2000s and 2010s, with the most recent years showing less than 100 births annually. The total number of births from 2006 to 2023 is only 1754, a stark contrast to the previous peak period.
Overall, while Lynette was once a popular name, it has become increasingly rare in recent decades.