WeeNames Scotland’s favourite name finder

← All names

Laughlan

Boy name · 13 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Laughlan: 13 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to boys, peaking at 4 births in 2016.

Laughlan is a less common spelling of Lachlan, a name deeply rooted in Scottish Gaelic heritage. It comes from *Lachlann*, meaning "land of the lochs" or, more specifically, "warrior from the fjord-land"—an ancient term for Scandinavia. The name's most famous bearer is Lachlan Macquarie (1762–1824), a Scottish-born officer who served as Governor of New South Wales and left a lasting mark on Australia; the Macquarie River, Macquarie Island, and Macquarie University all honour him. Laughlan itself remains rare in Scotland, but its more standard form Lachlan has ranked among the country's top baby names since the 1990s. Parents drawn to this spelling may appreciate its links to the wild lochs and hills of the Highlands, though they should know that the pronunciation stays identical to Lachlan.

Boy 4 of 52 years

Peak year
20164 babies
Latest (2016)
#5924 babies
Total births
13since 2005
5-year trend
≈ stablevs prior 5y
1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2016 · 4
Births per year in Scotland. Missing years had a count of 2 or fewer (suppressed by NRS).