Machlan
A masculine name of Irish origin meaning "disciple" or "devotee".
Name Census estimates that about 7 living Americans carry the first name Machlan. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Machlan today is around 10 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Machlan births was 2016 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Machlan. 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 Machlan. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
7
~ 1 in 48,964,905 Americans
Peak year
2016
7 babies that year
Average age
10
years old
2016 SSA rank
#10,328
Tracked since 2016
Popularity
Machlan: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Machlan 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 Machlan during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 7 | 0 | 7 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Machlan
The name Machlan has its origins in the Gaelic language, which is a branch of the Celtic language family. It is believed to have originated in the medieval era, around the 6th to 11th centuries, primarily in the regions of Scotland and Ireland.
Machlan is derived from the Gaelic word "mach," which means "son" or "descendant," and "lan," meaning "little." Therefore, the name Machlan can be interpreted as "little son" or "young descendant." This name was likely given to boys born into families with strong Celtic heritage, reflecting their lineage and ancestral ties.
Early references to the name Machlan can be found in ancient Scottish clan records and Irish genealogical manuscripts. It was a popular name among the Gaelic clans of the Scottish Highlands and the Irish nobility during the Middle Ages.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Machlan was Machlan mac Colmáin, a Scottish warrior and chieftain who lived in the 7th century. He was known for his bravery in battles against invading forces and his loyalty to his clan.
Another noteworthy figure was Machlan Ó Cuinn, an Irish poet and scholar from the 12th century. He was renowned for his contributions to Irish literature and his preservation of ancient Gaelic traditions.
In the 14th century, Machlan Mac Muirich was a renowned Scottish bard and historian. He was a member of the esteemed Clan Macpherson and is credited with recording many significant events and genealogies of Scottish clans during his lifetime.
During the 16th century, Machlan O'Callaghan was a prominent Irish chieftain and landowner in County Cork, Ireland. He played a crucial role in local politics and defended his territory against English forces during the Tudor conquest of Ireland.
In the 19th century, Machlan McGillycuddy was a celebrated Irish scholar and linguist. He made significant contributions to the study and preservation of the Irish language and Gaelic literature, earning him widespread recognition in academic circles.
While the name Machlan is not as common today as it was in medieval times, it continues to be used, particularly in regions with strong Celtic cultural heritage. The name serves as a reminder of the rich history and traditions of the Gaelic people, carrying the legacy of their ancestors through generations.
People
Machlan + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Machlan as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Machlan: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Machlan?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 7 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Machlan 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 48,964,905 US residents.
Is Machlan a common name?
We classify Machlan as "Very Rare". It ranks above 23.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 7 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Machlan most popular?
The single biggest year for Machlan was 2016, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Machlan is about 10 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 Machlan in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Machlan a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Machlan 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 Machlan still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Machlan 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 Machlan 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 Machlan as a first name?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.