Conlan first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Conlan has been for the last 37 years (from 1987 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Conlan

Meaning "great wolf", a masculine given name of Irish Gaelic origin.

Popularity of Conlan by gender

Based on the last 37 years of data, Conlan is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 14 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Conlan.

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 14 0
2022 12 0
2021 16 0
2020 19 0
2019 23 0
2018 18 0
2017 24 0
2016 21 0
2015 31 0
2014 24 0
2013 29 0
2012 40 0
2011 31 0
2010 31 0
2009 28 0
2008 42 0
2007 46 0
2006 46 0
2005 50 0
2004 42 0
2003 32 0
2002 33 0
2001 20 0
2000 25 0
1999 25 0
1998 28 0
1997 29 0
1996 18 0
1995 13 0
1994 18 0
1993 17 0
1992 10 0
1991 10 0
1990 7 0
1989 6 0
1988 8 0
1987 8 0

The history of the first name Conlan

The name Conlan is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic words "con" meaning hound or wolf, and "lan" meaning full or complete. It is believed to have originated in the medieval period, around the 10th century CE, when Irish Gaelic names were widely used across Ireland.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Conlan can be found in the Irish epic tale, "The Cattle Raid of Cooley", which dates back to the 8th or 9th century. In this ancient text, Conlan is the name of a warrior and nephew of the legendary hero CĂș Chulainn. This early literary reference suggests that the name was already in use among the Gaelic people of Ireland during that time.

Throughout the Middle Ages, the name Conlan remained predominantly concentrated in Ireland, particularly among families and clans with strong Irish heritage and ties to the Gaelic tradition. However, as Irish migration increased in later centuries, the name slowly began to spread to other parts of the world.

One notable figure bearing the name Conlan was Conlan of Ardskeagh (1624-1677), an Irish soldier and landowner who fought in the Irish Confederate Wars of the 1640s. Another historically significant individual was Conlan John Scanlan (1866-1950), an Irish-American prelate who served as the Bishop of Salt Lake City from 1927 to 1948.

In more recent times, the name Conlan has gained recognition through individuals such as Conlan Sunderson (born 1990), a Canadian professional ice hockey player, and Conlan Scanlan (born 1998), an Irish professional mixed martial artist.

While the name Conlan is not as common as some other Irish names, it has maintained a strong connection to its Gaelic roots and continues to be used by families with Irish heritage or an appreciation for the rich cultural traditions of Ireland.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Conlan was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Conlan, please contact us.

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"Conlan first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on June 12, 2025. http://namecensus.com/first-names/conlan-meaning-and-history/.

"Conlan first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/conlan-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 12 June, 2025

Conlan first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/conlan-meaning-and-history/.

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