Name Spotlight: Lachlan

Name: Lachlan

Meaning: “from the fjord land” or “war-like”

Origin: Scottish or Gaelic

Current Popularity:  #686

Lachlan hit the SSA top 1000 for the first time in 2013, though it’s been more popular in its home of origin (the UK) for decades. And Australians can’t get enough of it. Its current rank of #686 in the US is based on male births; as a female name, it does not rank in the top 1000 baby names.

Nickname Potential: Lach (“Lock”), Lockey/Lochie, Lan

Associations: Lachlan is a name that doesn’t have any strong immediate associations. Looking back, the most famous person with the name is a President’s son (Lachlan Tyler), which won’t register on most peoples’ radar. It’s the second half of singer Sarah McLachlan’s name, but your child’s contemporaries probably won’t be thinking about Lilith Fair and “I Will Remember You” when they hear this name.

Similar Names: Angus, Callan, Cameron, Cormac, Declan, Ewan, Finley, Killian, Langdon, Lincoln, Rhys, Roan

Why We Love It: We love the strong sound of the opening “Lock” sound fading into the softer “lan” (when the name is pronounced the American way). This very Scottish name also sounds in keeping with the -en/-an/-on surname-ish ending that is still holding strong for children across genders in 2019.

Who Might Like It: Though a Scottish name, parents of Scandanavian heritage might also like this name as an homage to their backgrounds since Lachan (Lochlainn) was originally a nickname that meant “Scandanavian,” used to refer to settlers from those northern countries. Parents who favor Celtic and Gaelic sounding names also have a solid option in Lachlan, which is familiar enough and intuitive to pronounce. We think minimal nickname Lock is all the reason you need to choose Lachlan.