The name Lachlan is a boy's name of Scottish origin meaning "from the fjord-land". Lachlan is ranked #695 on our popularity charts and is often added to lists like British Boy Names and discussed in our forums with posts like "Baby a Day".
From the experts:
Lachlan is as Scottish as haggis and tartan plaid kilts—a favorite used throughout England, Scotland, Australia, and New Zealand—and just beginning to be noticed in the US: it reached the Top 1000 for the first time in 2013. An ancient name, Lachlan was originally used to describe the Viking invaders of Scotland, those from the land of the lochs.
Americans and Australians tend to pronounce the first syllable of the name like Lock, but the genuine Scottish pronunciation sounds more like Lack.
In Ireland, the name was Anglicized as Laughlin; in Scotland the pet forms are Lach, Lachie, or Lockie.
Lachlan has been a top name in Australia for at least a decade. It has been in the headlines recently via the eldest son of media mogul Rupert Murdoch.
Somewhat surprisingly, Lachlan has US presidential cred, as the son of tenth president John Tyler, whose other children included Lyon, Letitia, Tazewell, and Pearl.
Lachlan in Blog Posts
Lachlan in the Forums
Comments
Eliane Says:
Catgirlmri Says:
I dunno. Probably something to do with Vikings? I like it, maybe because of the cute toddler I know with the name
heathergrey Says:
Just fyi 'ch' is not always pronounced like that in Scotland (only in Gaelic words), that would be ridiculous. Lachlan is actually pronounced correctly as Lack-lahn or Lack-Linn (depending on accent). That's how we pronounce it in Scotland and since it's our name, allow us to be the authority. There's nothing worse than Americans completely butchering the name, especially since it's entirely pronounceable.
TinyTurtle Says:
This is really a gem of a name for me. I'm not sure why it's not very popular in the US—it fits right in with all the ending-in-n names out there right now, perhaps it is not used as much because of the pronunciation—but that's what makes it all the more fascinating to me. I would name my son Lachlan in a heartbeat!
Eilidh nicol Says:
The name is pronounced Lachlan exactly how it sounds. I am from highlands of Scotland where name originated. People down under have made a whole new pronunciation of it, more sounding like lochlin. La and lo sound very different to me whether or not kiwis pronounce och as lock. Name berry pronounce it wrong. V frustrating. Look it up on you tube.
beachbear Says:
I would totally name my child Lachlan. I love it for both genders. It's been one of my favorite names for many years.
ashbee Says:
I felt like that for a while, but after seeing it over and over on nameberry it grew on me! Now I find it strangely appealing. Maybe the Scottish feel and Viking reference?
Theodora_Phoenix Says:
One of those names that everyone likes but I just don't get it. What's the big deal about Lachlan?
sirens_sam Says:
I like this name, its soft and strong at the same time. I don't know if id use it on a future son but it will be on the list of consideration.
Brownton Says:
Seems like this is actually a predominantly Australian name. My (Aussie) wife was surprised to find I'd never met anyone with this name (in the US).
TheHumanCanvas Says:
Lachlan is my newest boy-name love <3 Pronounced like we do in Scotland ("LOCH-lin").
xaliciax Says:
My favorite boy name hands down.
Kibby Says:
If we have a son, this will be his name. I have loved it for years! We will be saying it LOCK-lin as that is the convention in Canada. When I read your comment, I read it like Lock is pronounced like Lock not like Lock, because here Loch is Lock pronunciation wise!
eveyalecia Says:
But Scottish speakers have a very different set of phonemes which greatly affects their pronunciation, especially compared to American English. Although in Scotland the "ch" is not pronounced like the hard "c" of English, it is also not the same as a typical English "ch." It's a more guttural sound somewhere in between (the English) "ck" and "ch," but because most English speakers can't replicate the exact pronunciation, they default to that which is closest ("ck"). That's why, in American English at least, Loch Ness is pronounced as "Lock" Ness.
Zoey_Artemisia Says:
Australia pronounces it like LOCK-Lin as well :)
LowSlash Says:
Yes, but loch is Gaelic. I can't speak for other English speaking countries, but in Canada that lovely "ch" sound is usually pronounced as a hard "c".
chellemma1 Says:
Scotland is an English speaking country!
eveyalecia Says:
Loch is Anglicized as "lock" though, so English speakers will do the same with Lachlan... it might not technically be correct, but that's the closest most (American, at least) English speaking people are going to get.
Kate Says:
This is my husband's name and my favorite boys' name. If our 2nd child is a boy, he will be Lachlan II. It's a very Scottish, very masculine name. I'm not a huge fan of boys' names being used for girls, especially this one.
chellemma1 Says:
Just to mention Lachlan is not pronounced LOCK-lin in Scotland. It's Lach-lin. The ch is pronounced like the end of the word loch not as a k.
OliviaSarah Says:
''Scottish as haggis and tartan plaid kilts'' lmao
ladybug99 Says:
I know a girl Lachlyn and it's so cute! I do want to get caught up in the 'ch', however, and turn it into LOCHSJDFKNSDFKADSKNASKDFNKLAN...
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Well I don't know about English people but Swiss people will definitely be able to pronounce it correctly ;) We love the ch sound so much that there's a running gag that Swiss people have a sore throat from their own dialect.