Leathan
A Gaelic name derived from the word "leith" meaning half or partial.
Name Census estimates that about 15 living Americans carry the first name Leathan. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Leathan today is around 15 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Leathan births was 2009 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Leathan. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Leathan. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
15
~ 1 in 22,850,289 Americans
Peak year
2009
5 babies that year
Average age
15
years old
2012 SSA rank
#13,410
Tracked since 2009
Popularity
Leathan: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Leathan from the 2000s through to the 2010s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 10 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Leathan by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Leathan during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Leathan
The name Leathan is derived from the Gaelic language and has its roots in Scotland and Ireland. It is believed to have originated in the medieval period, around the 12th to 15th centuries. The name is derived from the Gaelic word "leathan," which means "broad" or "wide," possibly referring to a person's physical stature or expansive personality.
One of the earliest known references to the name Leathan can be found in the ancient Gaelic manuscript "The Book of Leinster," which dates back to the late 12th century. This manuscript contains genealogies, stories, and historical records from Ireland, providing valuable insights into the cultural and linguistic heritage of the region.
Leathan has been the name of several notable figures throughout history. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this name was Leathan Mac Fhionnghaile (c. 1200-1270), a Scottish warrior and chieftain who played a significant role in the Wars of Scottish Independence against England. He was known for his bravery and loyalty to the Scottish cause.
Another historical figure bearing the name Leathan was Leathan O'Dugan (c. 1300-1372), an Irish bard and poet who composed several works celebrating the rich cultural heritage of Ireland. His poems and songs were widely celebrated and helped preserve the oral traditions of the Irish people.
In the 16th century, Leathan MacNab (c. 1520-1590) was a renowned Scottish clan chief and military leader. He led his clan in battles against rival clans and played a pivotal role in the turbulent political landscape of Scotland during that time.
Leathan O'Connell (c. 1650-1720) was an Irish Catholic priest and philosopher who wrote extensively on the themes of faith, reason, and the nature of knowledge. His works were influential in shaping the intellectual discourse of his era.
In more recent times, Leathan MacLeod (1892-1963) was a Scottish writer and poet who gained recognition for his vivid depictions of life in the Scottish Highlands. His poetry captured the rugged beauty of the landscape and the resilience of the Highland people.
While the name Leathan has its roots in the Gaelic language and culture, it has transcended geographical boundaries and continues to be used as a given name in various parts of the world, carrying with it the rich history and heritage of its origins.
People
Leathan + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Leathan as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with L
Other first names starting with L with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Leathan: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Leathan?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 15 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Leathan going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 22,850,289 US residents.
Is Leathan a common name?
We classify Leathan as "Very Rare". It ranks above 35.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 15 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Leathan most popular?
The single biggest year for Leathan was 2009, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Leathan is about 15 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Leathan in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Leathan a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Leathan in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Leathan still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Leathan in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Leathan can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have the name Leathan?
See how many people have the name Leathan on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.