Lachlan

maleScottish Gaelic (Anglicised), from Lochlann ('Scandinavia')

Traditionally understood as 'Viking' or 'Scandinavian' via its root name — someone associated with the land of the Norsemen. A secondary reading of that root gives 'land of the lakes'.

Origin: Scottish Gaelic (Anglicised), from Lochlann ('Scandinavia')

Official popularity data is available for 6 regions, from 1982 to 2025. Highest recorded position: #2 in New South Wales, Australia in 2005. See regions.

Lachlan: Recorded since 1982, it reached #2 in 2005, and it was still inside the top 100 in 2025.

6registrars recorded it
134times a registrar ranked it
44years from first to last
#2highest recorded position
36groupings it qualifies for
29names it appears alongside

What stands out in Lachlan's record

Held a top-100 place for 41 years running. Names by top-100 run

LOK-lən/ˈlɒklən/

Compare Lachlan Run Name Checker on Lachlan

Data Confidence

Evidence: ModerateCompleteness: SubstantialEditorial review: 2026-07-21

Confidence in the evidencebehind this name's data — never a rating of the name itself, and never affected by how well it matches your preferences. How this is assessed

Because: backed by officially or academically authoritative sources, recently verified, popularity data covers multiple regions.

Source authority

Averaged from the real per-claim source-authority assessments already computed for this name's meaning/origin/pronunciation/popularity evidence.

Independent corroboration

Averaged from the real per-claim supporting-source counts already computed for this name's evidence.

See full evidence assessment (8 dimensions, 1 not yet tracked)

Source agreement

No recorded source disagreement for this name's meanings or origins.

Recency

Calculated from how long ago this record was last verified (2026-07-21), against a 270-day staleness threshold.

Geographic relevance

Calculated from the number of geographies with official popularity data (6) — broader official coverage means the evidence base is relevant to more of where the name is actually used.

Completeness

Calculated from how many of the expected data sections (variants, similar names, popularity, notable usage, IPA pronunciation) are actually populated for this name.

Direct observation vs. inference

Averaged from the real per-claim direct-observation-vs-inference ratios already computed for this name's evidence.

Identity & variant resolution quality

Cross-source identity and variant resolution requires HEKNO Knowledge, which isn't connected yet.

Name Characteristics

How these are calculated

Descriptive attributes of the name itself — not a confidence measurement, and not an overall quality score. Namewise doesn't approve or disapprove of names.

Pronunciation clarity

Editorial judgement of how consistently this name is pronounced correctly on first read, mapped from an easy/moderate/variable rating to a number. Describes the name — not a measure of evidence confidence.

Spelling simplicity

Calculated directly from the name's spelling: shorter names with fewer irregular letter clusters score higher. A disclosed formula, not an editorial opinion — and not a confidence measurement.

Recorded regional spread

Derived from how many geographies' official statistics record this name. It measures where the name is registered, not how well-known it feels to people living there.

International spread

Derived from the same official statistical coverage, scaled to reflect how widely the name crosses national datasets. Not a measure of how easily it is understood in another language.

Trend stability

Derived from the name's traditional/modern classification and its current popularity trend direction.

Overview

Origin: Scottish Gaelic (Anglicised), from Lochlann ('Scandinavia')
Meaning: Traditionally understood as 'Viking' or 'Scandinavian' via its root name — someone associated with the land of the Norsemen. A secondary reading of that root gives 'land of the lakes'.
Pronunciation: LOK-lən
Syllables: 2
Common nicknames: None recorded
Classification: Traditional & modern
Gender usage: male
Language family: Scottish Gaelic (Anglicised), from Lochlann ('Scandinavia')

Popularity

Region

Rising

among boys in England and Wales · 1996–2025

View as table

England and Wales · Boys rank by year
Year	Rank
1996	#1040
1997	#678
1998	#351
1999	#348
2000	#339
2001	#386
2002	#371
2003	#371
2004	#487
2005	#461
2006	#485
2007	#492
2008	#538
2009	#514
2010	#574
2011	#510
2012	#492
2013	#546
2014	#558
2015	#363
2016	#398
2017	#423
2018	#397
2019	#454
2020	#347
2021	#393
2022	#423
2023	#393
2024	#328
2025	#283

VerifiedSource: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales.Confidence: high.

See all England and Wales names · Source: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales

What the data shows

RisingEngland and Wales · Boys

Recorded in official data among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 43 of the 44 years from 1982 to 2025.

In 2025: #34 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, #283 among boys in England and Wales, #317 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

Official data from 6 national registrars across 6 regions, 1982–2025 · Office for National Statistics. Data sources

Popularity journey

First recorded1982
First recorded at #95 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1982 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #283 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys

Lachlan appears in 5 of the published lists Namewise holds. The longest record is New South Wales, Australia · Boys, which has ranked it in 43 years beginning in 1982, and has registered 18,344 births with the name.

Lachlan across 5 official records

Each registrar publishes its own list, so these figures are read down a row, never across one. A position in one country is not comparable with a position in another, and Namewise never combines them into a single ranking. The birth counts do not compare across rows either, for a different reason: England and Wales registers roughly thirty times as many births a year as Northern Ireland, so a larger total says which registrar recorded it as much as how widely the name was given.

Lachlan's first, highest and most recent recorded position in each official list, with the number of births each registrar registered with the name and its largest single year
Published list	First recorded	Highest	Most recent	Years recorded	Births registered	Most in one year
New South Wales, Australia · Boys	#95 (1982)	#2 (2005)	#34 (2025)	43 of 44	18,344 (1982–2025)	920 (1999)
England and Wales · Boys	#1040 (1996)	#283 (2025)	#283 (2025)	30 of 30	2,417 (1996–2025)	159 (2025)
Republic of Ireland · Boys	#382 (1997)	#263 (2016)	#317 (2025)	24 of 29	212 (1997–2025)	18 (2016)
New Zealand · Boys	#98 (1997)	#13 (2018)	#34 (2023)	26 of 27	3,813 (1997–2023)	203 (2008)
Northern Ireland · Boys	#240 (1998)	#226 (2021)	#278 (2024)	10 of 27	50 (1998–2024)	9 (2021)

Lachlan by decade in New South Wales, Australia · Boys

Births registered with the name in each decade of this one list, with the number of years the list covers in that decade. Bars are scaled on births a year, which is the figure that compares between decades — a decade the list only partly covers has a smaller total without being a quieter decade. Figures belong to this registrar alone and do not carry to another.

Births registered with Lachlan in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, by decade, with years covered and the average per year
Decade	Births registered	Years covered	A year
1980s	834	7 of 10	119
1990s	4,756	10 of 10	476
2000sbusiest	7,464	10 of 10	746
2010s	4,053	10 of 10	405
2020s	1,237	6 of 10	206

Across New South Wales, Australia · Boys, the 2000s were its busiest decade, averaging 746 births a year.

Its sharpest single-year move came between 1996 and 1997, when recorded births rose by 231, from 483 to 714.

See the names New South Wales, Australiahas recorded the most births with →

Lachlan appears in

Groupings this name qualifies for under their own stated rules, from the same official statistics shown above.

What the record shows

Recorded by 6 registrars between 1982 and 2025, ranked in 43 years of that period.

Its highest recorded position is #2, first reached in 2005.

It held a top-100 place in 43 years, 41 of them consecutive.

Its largest count from any one registrar is 920 births, registered in New South Wales, Australia in 1999.

1 registrar ranked it inside their own top 10.

Its record falls into 2 separate stretches, with a longest absence of 1 year.

A second registrar first ranked it in 1996, and 42 years separate the first registrar to record it from the last.

Every figure here is counted from the seven official registrars Namewise holds. A position is only ever a place within the list that published it, and a record that thins or stops is a fact about what registrars printed — never about how many children received the name.

Lachlan was ranked #2 in New South Wales, Australia · Boys in 2005. These are the names immediately either side of it on that published list — a fact about the registrar's own output, not a similarity judgement.

Where to go next

Records with a comparable body of evidence, so the catalogue can be read outward from this one. Each group states the rule it was selected by.

Next in the catalogue

The records either side of this one alphabetically.

Lacey-May · #541, 18y
Lacey-Rose · #2008, 15y
Lachlann · #330, 9y
Laci · #383, 20y

A comparable record

Records held by the same 6 registrars, over a similar number of ranked years, whose highest position is closest to this one. A similar body of evidence — never a claim that the names themselves are alike.

Sadie · #5, 42y
Jordan · #6, 48y
Jake · #7, 41y
Callum · #8, 38y

Also first recorded in the 1980s

Records whose earliest ranking in Namewise's registrar data also falls between 1980 and 1989.

Ellie · #2, 35y
Georgia · #2, 37y
Charlie · #3, 35y
Freya · #1, 35y

Comparisons involving Lachlan

Existing comparison pages where Lachlan and another name were ranked in the same published list, in the same years, on the same scale. Each has its own evidence; none of them says the names are alike.

Longest shared records

Names ranked alongside Lachlan in the same published list across at least 25 years.

Daniel vs Lachlan
In 1998, Lachlan moved ahead of Daniel in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #2 and #7 the year before became #6 and #3.
Daniel · Lachlan · 43 shared years, 1982–2025 · One moved ahead of the other
See the 1998 New South Wales, Australia ranking
Joshua vs Lachlan
In 2011, Lachlan moved ahead of Joshua in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #4 and #6 the year before became #9 and #3.
Joshua · Lachlan · 42 shared years, 1982–2024 · One moved ahead of the other
See the 2011 New South Wales, Australia ranking
Matthew vs Lachlan
In 1998, Lachlan moved ahead of Matthew in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #4 and #7 the year before became #4 and #3.
Matthew · Lachlan · 41 shared years, 1982–2023 · One moved ahead of the other
See the 1998 New South Wales, Australia ranking

Closest long-running positions

Names that stayed close to Lachlan within one registrar's list over many years. A gap measured inside that list, never across registrars.

Lachlan vs Max
Across 26 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Lachlan and Max averaged 8.0 places apart, ending at #34 and #29.
Lachlan · Max · 26 shared years, 1997–2023 · Closest over the longest run
See the 2023 New Zealand ranking
Liam vs Lachlan
Across 42 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Liam and Lachlan averaged 10.0 places apart, ending at #15 and #34.
Liam · Lachlan · 42 shared years, 1983–2025 · Closest over the longest run
See the 2025 New South Wales, Australia ranking
Lachlan vs Jackson
Across 26 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Lachlan and Jackson averaged 10.5 places apart, ending at #34 and #41.
Lachlan · Jackson · 26 shared years, 1997–2023 · Closest over the longest run
See the 2023 New Zealand ranking

Order changes

Pairs where Lachlan and another name exchanged position in a published list, taken as the final meaningful change.

Noah vs Lachlan
In 2012, Noah moved ahead of Lachlan in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #7 and #3 the year before became #3 and #7.
Noah · Lachlan · 28 shared years, 1998–2025 · One moved ahead of the other
See the 2012 New South Wales, Australia ranking
Jack vs Lachlan
In 2012, Jack moved ahead of Lachlan in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #5 and #3 the year before became #4 and #7.
Jack · Lachlan · 40 shared years, 1986–2025 · One moved ahead of the other
See the 2012 New South Wales, Australia ranking
Oliver vs Lachlan
In 2012, Oliver moved ahead of Lachlan in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #6 and #3 the year before became #5 and #7.
Oliver · Lachlan · 37 shared years, 1989–2025 · One moved ahead of the other
See the 2012 New South Wales, Australia ranking

Compared inside New South Wales, Australia lists

Pairs involving Lachlan measured in New South Wales, Australia's own published lists — the registrar that recorded Lachlan at its highest position.

Lachlan vs Henry
In 2017, Henry moved ahead of Lachlan in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #11 and #18 the year before became #12 and #6.
Lachlan · Henry · 31 shared years, 1993–2025 · One moved ahead of the other
See the 2017 New South Wales, Australia ranking
Andrew vs Lachlan
In 1997, Lachlan moved ahead of Andrew in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #22 and #24 the year before became #23 and #7.
Andrew · Lachlan · 32 shared years, 1982–2016 · One moved ahead of the other
See the 1997 New South Wales, Australia ranking
Lachlan vs Benjamin
In 1997, Lachlan moved ahead of Benjamin in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #24 and #11 the year before became #7 and #8.
Lachlan · Benjamin · 43 shared years, 1982–2025 · One moved ahead of the other
See the 1997 New South Wales, Australia ranking

New South Wales, Australia overview→

Lachlan and the names beside it

Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale, in the same year, by the same registrar — so these are positions that genuinely passed each other, not a similarity judgement. Drawn from the 2,577 names with a recorded popularity standing (common, familiar, uncommon), so a name outside that set could have passed Lachlan without appearing here.

Lachlan moved ahead of

Fionn
In 1997 they stood at #678 and #600 in England and Wales · Boys; by 1998 that had become #351 and #1263.
Darragh
In 1997 they stood at #678 and #522 in England and Wales · Boys; by 1998 that had become #351 and #761.
Markus
In 2014 they stood at #534 and #534 in Republic of Ireland · Boys; by 2015 that had become #355 and #699.
Ashleigh
In 1997 they stood at #678 and #471 in England and Wales · Boys; by 1998 that had become #351 and #669.

Moved ahead of Lachlan

Ollie
In 2003 they stood at #371 and #377 in England and Wales · Boys; by 2004 that had become #487 and #255.
Arlo
In 2008 they stood at #538 and #567 in England and Wales · Boys; by 2009 that had become #514 and #311.
Elias
In 2021 they stood at #226 and #266 in Northern Ireland · Boys; by 2022 that had become #352 and #192.
Roman
In 2019 they stood at #268 and #322 in Republic of Ireland · Boys; by 2020 that had become #294 and #172.

Moved the opposite way to Lachlan

Aaron
Between 1996 and 2025 in England and Wales · Boys, Lachlan went from #1040 to #283 while Aaron went from #33 to #180.
Adam
Between 1996 and 2025 in England and Wales · Boys, Lachlan went from #1040 to #283 while Adam went from #16 to #26.
Alan
Between 1996 and 2025 in England and Wales · Boys, Lachlan went from #1040 to #283 while Alan went from #163 to #539.
Alex
Between 1996 and 2025 in England and Wales · Boys, Lachlan went from #1040 to #283 while Alex went from #43 to #207.

Moved the same way as Lachlan

Alexander Compare
Between 1982 and 2025 in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Lachlan went from #95 to #34 and Alexander from #37 to #22.
Jacob Compare
Between 1982 and 2025 in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Lachlan went from #95 to #34 and Jacob from #77 to #42.
Thomas
Between 1982 and 2025 in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Lachlan went from #95 to #34 and Thomas from #38 to #13.
William
Between 1982 and 2025 in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Lachlan went from #95 to #34 and William from #41 to #11.

Meaning & Origin

Traditionally understood as 'Viking' or 'Scandinavian' via its root name — someone associated with the land of the Norsemen. A secondary reading of that root gives 'land of the lakes'.

VerifiedSource: Behind the Name.Confidence: medium.

Scottish Gaelic (Anglicised), from Lochlann ('Scandinavia')

VerifiedSource: Behind the Name.Confidence: medium.

Other names with a researched meaning and origin →

Where Lachlan is officially recorded

6 official registrars have recorded Lachlan, between 1982 and 2025, in 43 of those 44 years. Each registrar publishes for its own population on its own methodology, so the positions below are each one country's own ranking and are not comparable with one another.

Registrar	Recorded	Years	Its own highest position
New South Wales, Australia	1982–2025	43	#2 in 2005
England and Wales	1996–2025	30	#283 in 2025
Republic of Ireland	1997–2025	24	#263 in 2016
New Zealand	1997–2023	26	#13 in 2018
Northern Ireland	1998–2024	10	#226 in 2021
Scotland	2024	1	#88 in 2024

Its high point came 20 years earlier in New South Wales, Australia (2005) than in England and Wales (2025).

Variants

No spelling variants or nicknames recorded yet.

Similar Names

No similar names recorded yet for this name.

Similarity is a demonstration score — see methodology.

Spelling

Spelling simplicity

Calculated directly from the name's spelling — see Name Characteristics above.

No commonly used alternate spellings recorded.

Pronunciation

LOK-lən/ˈlɒklən/

Syllables: 2
Ease: easy

VerifiedSource: Behind the Name.Confidence: medium.

Where Lachlan Is Recorded

National statistical agencies have recorded Lachlan in these places. This shows where the name is used — not where it comes from, and not that it carries particular cultural significance there.

New South Wales, AustraliaEngland and WalesNorthern IrelandScotlandRepublic of IrelandNew Zealand

Notable Usage

No safely-sourced notable usage recorded for this name yet.

Sibling & Surname Compatibility

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Lachlan

Lachlan at a glance

What stands out in Lachlan's record

Overview

Popularity

What the data shows

Popularity journey

Lachlan across 5 official records

Lachlan by decade in New South Wales, Australia · Boys

Lachlan appears in

What the record shows

Names published alongside Lachlan

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1980s

Comparisons involving Lachlan

Longest shared records

Closest long-running positions

Order changes

Compared inside New South Wales, Australia lists

Lachlan and the names beside it

Lachlan moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Lachlan

Moved the opposite way to Lachlan

Moved the same way as Lachlan

Meaning & Origin

Where Lachlan is officially recorded

Variants

Similar Names

Spelling

Pronunciation

Where Lachlan Is Recorded

Notable Usage

Sibling & Surname Compatibility

Lachlan at a glance

What stands out in Lachlan's record

Lachlan across 5 official records

Lachlan by decade in New South Wales, Australia · Boys

Lachlan appears in

What the record shows

Names published alongside Lachlan

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1980s

Comparisons involving Lachlan

Longest shared records

Closest long-running positions

Order changes

Compared inside New South Wales, Australia lists

Lachlan and the names beside it

Lachlan moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Lachlan

Moved the opposite way to Lachlan

Moved the same way as Lachlan