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Lian

Girl name · 7 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Lian: 7 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to girls, peaking at 4 births in 1979.

A gentle, melodic name with layered roots, Lian often comes from Welsh, where it means “flax” or “linen” – a fabric woven from the flax plant, linking it to purity and craftsmanship. It also appears in Chinese, where it can mean “lotus” or “graceful”. Among notable bearers, Australian children’s author Lian Tanner and German pop singer Lian Ross have carried the name into the arts. While no major places are named directly after a Lian, the Welsh word lliant means “flood” or “stream”, giving the name a subtle water connection. As a short form of names like Julian, Liana, or Lianne, it offers a modern, unisex feel that works as easily in Scotland as anywhere else.

Girl 2 of 52 years

Peak year
19794 babies
Latest (1983)
#5123 babies
Total births
7since 1979
5-year trend
≈ stablevs prior 5y
1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 1979 · 4
Births per year in Scotland. Missing years had a count of 2 or fewer (suppressed by NRS).