Maclan
A masculine name of Scottish Gaelic origin meaning "son of a servant".
Name Census estimates that about 172 living Americans carry the first name Maclan. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Maclan today is around 6 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Maclan births was 2021 (26 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Maclan. 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.
People living today
172
~ 1 in 1,992,758 Americans
Peak year
2021
26 babies that year
Average age
6
years old
2024 SSA rank
#6,050
Tracked since 2013
Popularity
Maclan: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Maclan from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 103 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
Maclan 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 Maclan during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Maclans live
Origin
Meaning and history of Maclan
The name Maclan is a Scottish Gaelic name that originated in the Highlands of Scotland during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son" and "lan" meaning "small" or "little." Thus, the name Maclan can be interpreted as "son of the small one."
In ancient times, the name was often used as a patronymic, indicating the father's name or lineage. It was a common practice in Scottish Highland clans to use these types of surnames or descriptive names to identify individuals within the clan.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Maclan can be found in the Annals of Ulster, an ancient Irish chronicle dating back to the 15th century. The annals mention a "Maclan of Glengarry," referring to a member of the influential Clan MacDonald of Glengarry, a powerful Highland clan in the Scottish Highlands.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Maclan. One of the most famous was Maclan MacGregor (c. 1570-1604), a Scottish clan chief and outlaw who led a rebellion against King James VI of Scotland. He was eventually captured and executed for his role in the uprising.
Another notable Maclan was Maclan Mor MacDonald (c. 1580-1640), a Scottish Gaelic poet and warrior from the Clan Donald. He was renowned for his poetry and his bravery in battle, and he played a significant role in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms.
In the 17th century, Maclan MacQuarrie (c. 1620-1685) was a Scottish clan chief and military leader who fought for the Royalist cause during the English Civil War. He was known for his loyalty to King Charles II and his skill as a military commander.
Maclan MacLean (c. 1690-1760) was a Scottish Gaelic poet and bard from the Isle of Mull. He was renowned for his poetic works, which celebrated the culture and traditions of the Scottish Highlands.
Another notable figure was Maclan MacLeod (1760-1833), a Scottish Gaelic scholar and minister who played a significant role in preserving and promoting the Gaelic language and culture. He wrote several works on Gaelic language and literature, and his efforts helped to ensure the survival of this rich cultural heritage.
While the name Maclan has its roots in the Scottish Highlands, it has been adopted and adapted by various cultures around the world, with variations in spelling and pronunciation. However, its origins can be traced back to the ancient Scottish Gaelic tradition, where it was used to identify individuals within the Highland clans and to celebrate the rich cultural heritage of the region.
People
Maclan + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Maclan 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
Maclan: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Maclan?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 172 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Maclan 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 1,992,758 US residents.
Is Maclan a common name?
We classify Maclan as "Very Rare". It ranks above 72.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 173 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Maclan most popular?
The single biggest year for Maclan was 2021, when 26 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Maclan is about 6 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 Maclan in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Maclan a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Maclan 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 Maclan still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Maclan 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 Maclan 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 are called Maclan?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.