Lochlan
Lochlan was the 644th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 433 babies. That is its highest rank since records began in 1880. Over the last ten years it has moved up 199 places. More babies were named Lochlan in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Meaning variant of Lachlan · Scottish Gaelic
Say it LAHK-lun /ˈlɑklən/
- Rank in 2025
- #644 boys, up 85 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 433boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 2025433 babies
- Total since 1880
- 4,970babies recorded
What does the name Lochlan mean?
Lochlan is a spelling of Lachlan, a Scottish Gaelic name (Lachlann) that comes from Lochlann, the Gaelic word for Scandinavia or Norway, literally 'land of lakes' or 'land of the fjords'. It first described a person from the Norse lands and became a personal name in the Highlands, where it was common among the MacLachlans and MacLeans. Lachlan is also popular in Australia because of Governor Lachlan Macquarie. The Lochlan spelling matches the Gaelic lake word loch.
Lochlann (Scottish Gaelic / Old Irish, “Scandinavia, Norway (land of lakes)”)
How sure is this? Probable. The derivation of Lochlann itself ('land of lakes') is the usual explanation but is debated.
Pronunciation: Some Scots say the ch as in loch (LOKH-lun).
Related names: Lachlan, Lochlann, Lachie.
See also: Scottish names, names from places.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Lochlan', Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- Wiktionary, entry 'Lachlan', Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- US Social Security Administration, national baby-name data 1880-2025 (our computation), SSA (public domain)
Nicknames for Lochlan
The usual nicknames for Lochlan are Lochie.
| Nickname | Kind | Rank 2025 | Boys, 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lochie | Modern | — | — |
Nicknames reviewed by our editors; counts are boys given the nickname as their legal first name. Nobody records how many Lochlans go by each one.
Lochlan popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 124 since 2012, 11 in 2025.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #644 | 433 |
| 2020 | #729 | 337 |
| 2010 | #1,707 | 90 |
| 2000 | #6,168 | 11 |
| 1990 | — | — |
| 1980 | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Lochlan, counting every spelling?
Lochlan is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #600 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #644 for Lochlan on its own. Together these spellings went to 468 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lochlan | 433 | #644 | 1,676 |
| Lochlann | 35 | #3,355 | 151 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Lochlan?
433 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Lochlan (0.12 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Lochlan born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 19 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Lochlan.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Lochlan?
About 4,800 people born in the US named Lochlan are alive today, with a median age of 8; half are between 4 and 12. That makes Lochlan a young name: most people with it are children.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Lochlan by state
How common Lochlan was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Utah (2.8×), Kansas (2.6×), Minnesota (2.4×), Washington (2.2×), Michigan (2.0×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in Arizona, New Jersey, California.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Lochlan: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Lochlan, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Lochlan · Sibling names for Lochlan
Questions about the name Lochlan
What does Lochlan mean?
Lochlan means “variant of Lachlan” (Scottish Gaelic origin). Certainty: probable.
How popular is the name Lochlan?
Lochlan was the 644th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 433 babies. That is its highest rank since records began in 1880. Over the last ten years it has moved up 199 places. More babies were named Lochlan in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Is Lochlan a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Lochlan in the US.
Where is Lochlan most popular?
In 2021–2025, Lochlan was most common in Utah (0.55 per 1,000 boys), followed by Kansas and New Hampshire.