UK boy's name
Lochlan
A Scottish boy's name meaning "from the little lake".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Lochlan is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Lochlan popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #290, with 154 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2023, with 163 births.
This profile covers 1,843 England and Wales registrations across 28 recorded years from 1997 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, 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 94% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 2,740 living people in the UK are called Lochlan. 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 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Lochlan ranked #290 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 154 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2023, when 163 boys were registered as Lochlan.
- • Lochlan ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #60 in 2024.
- • About 2,740 living people in the UK are estimated to have Lochlan as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#290
2024
Births in 2024
154
Latest year
Peak year
2023
163 births
Estimated living
2,740
2026
Meaning
What does Lochlan mean?
The name Lochlan is a variant of the Gaelic name Lachlan, which originated in the Scottish Highlands. It is derived from the Old Norse name Lachlann, which means "from the land of the lakes" or "lakeland." The name reflects the geography of the Scottish Highlands, which is known for its numerous lochs or lakes.
The name Lachlan has been recorded in Scotland since the 12th century. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is Lachlan Mor, who was a 13th-century Scottish chieftain and progenitor of the Clan MacLachlan. The Clan MacLachlan was a prominent Scottish clan based in Argyll and Bute, and their ancestral lands were situated around Loch Fyne and Loch Awe.
In Scottish history, Lachlan was a popular name among the Highland clans. One notable figure was Lachlan Macquarie (1762-1824), who was a British military officer and colonial administrator. He served as the last autocratic Governor of New South Wales from 1810 to 1821 and played a significant role in shaping the early development of Australia.
Another famous Lachlan was Lachlan Mackinnon (1851-1935), a Scottish-born explorer and prospector who played a key role in the Klondike Gold Rush in Canada's Yukon Territory in the late 19th century. He was one of the first prospectors to stake claims in the Klondike region and is credited with helping to trigger the gold rush.
In the literary world, Lachlan Mackinnon (1856-1890) was a Scottish poet and journalist who wrote under the pen name "Lachlan Macdonald." He was known for his poetry and writings that captured the spirit and culture of the Scottish Highlands.
Another notable figure was Lachlan McLean (1798-1890), a Scottish-born businessman and politician who served as the 10th Premier of Prince Edward Island, Canada, from 1859 to 1863.
While the name Lochlan is a modern variant spelling, it retains the same Scottish Gaelic roots and connection to the Scottish Highlands' geography and clan history. The name has been used across various parts of the English-speaking world, particularly in areas with Scottish heritage or influence.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Lochlan over time
The chart below shows babies named Lochlan registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1997 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Lochlan, the clearest high point is 2023. The latest England and Wales figure is 154 births in 2024, compared with 163 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Lochlan by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Lochlan 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 | #328 | 684 | 5 |
| 2010s | #548 | 856 | 10 |
| 2000s | #884 | 250 | 10 |
| 1990s | #941 | 53 | 3 |
Geography
Where Lochlan is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Lochlan. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Lochlan ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #60 in 2024.
Across the UK
Lochlan in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#60 in 2024
26 years of NRS records, 810 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#202 in 2024
13 years of NISRA records, 103 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Lochlan
-
Lochlan Bloom
writer
novelist
Related
Names similar to Lochlan
- 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
Lochlan: questions and answers
How popular is the name Lochlan in the UK right now?
In 2024, Lochlan was ranked #290 for boys in England and Wales, with 154 births registered.
When was Lochlan most popular?
The peak year on record was 2023, with 163 babies registered as Lochlan in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Lochlan?
A Scottish boy's name meaning "from the little lake".
How many people are called Lochlan in the UK?
A total of 1,843 babies have been registered as Lochlan across the 28 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 810 more in Scotland and 103 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Lochlan most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Lochlan ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #60 in 2024. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
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.