UK boy's name
Lancelot
A masculine name of Breton origin meaning "servant" or "vassal".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2020. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Lancelot is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Lancelot popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2020 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4608, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2010, with 4 births.
This profile covers 16 England and Wales registrations across 5 recorded years from 2001 to 2020. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 75% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 16 living people in the UK are called Lancelot. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2021 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Lancelot ranked #4608 for boys in England and Wales in 2020, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2010, when 4 boys were registered as Lancelot.
- • About 16 living people in the UK are estimated to have Lancelot as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4608
2020
Births in 2020
3
Latest year
Peak year
2010
4 births
Estimated living
16
2026
Meaning
What does Lancelot mean?
The name Lancelot originated in Britain and has its roots in the Brittonic language, a Celtic language that was once spoken in parts of Great Britain. It is believed to be derived from the elements "lans" meaning "servant" or "follower" and "hlot" meaning "lot" or "share." Thus, the name Lancelot can be interpreted to mean something along the lines of "servant" or "follower of the lot."
The name gained significant prominence and popularity due to its association with the legendary figure of Sir Lancelot, one of the Knights of the Round Table in the Arthurian legends. These stories, which date back to the 12th century, depict Lancelot as the bravest and most skilled of King Arthur's knights, as well as the lover of Queen Guinevere. The name has been immortalized through these literary works, such as the French romance "Lancelot, the Knight of the Cart" by Chrétien de Troyes, written around 1180.
One of the earliest recorded individuals to bear the name Lancelot was Lancelot Patrice (born around 1150), a Breton knight and literary figure who is believed to have inspired aspects of the Arthurian tales. Another notable bearer of the name was Lancelot Blackburne (1658-1743), an English churchman and academic who served as Archbishop of York.
Throughout history, the name Lancelot has been borne by several notable individuals, including:
1. Lancelot "Capability" Brown (1716-1783), an English landscape architect renowned for his innovative garden designs. 2. Lancelot Addison (1632-1703), an English clergyman and author who wrote works on religious philosophy. 3. Lancelot Andrewes (1555-1626), an English bishop and scholar who played a significant role in the translation of the King James Bible. 4. Lancelot Blondeel (1619-1693), a Flemish Baroque painter known for his religious works and portraits. 5. Lancelot Hogben (1904-1975), a British mathematician, writer, and humanitarian who made significant contributions to the popularization of science.
The enduring popularity of the Arthurian legends, along with the name's unique and romantic connotations, has ensured that Lancelot has remained a beloved and recognizable name throughout the centuries, albeit with varying levels of usage over time.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Lancelot over time
The chart below shows babies named Lancelot registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2001 to 2020. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Lancelot, the clearest high point is 2010. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2020, compared with 4 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Lancelot by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Lancelot was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #4608 | 3 | 1 |
| 2010s | #4307 | 7 | 2 |
| 2000s | #3734 | 6 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Lancelot
- Luke 72,247
- Lewis 69,555
- Leo 63,249
- Liam 60,482
- Lucas 49,061
- Logan 40,771
- Louis 35,898
- Luca 30,323
- Louie 24,242
- Leon 22,308
- Levi 9,931
- Lee 7,861
FAQ
Lancelot: questions and answers
How popular is the name Lancelot in the UK right now?
In 2020, Lancelot was ranked #4608 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Lancelot most popular?
The peak year on record was 2010, with 4 babies registered as Lancelot in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Lancelot?
A masculine name of Breton origin meaning "servant" or "vassal".
How many people are called Lancelot in the UK?
A total of 16 babies have been registered as Lancelot across the 5 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.