Lan
Lan is a personal name, frequently used in Chinese and Vietnamese contexts as a feminine given name, which means "orchid" in Vietnamese.
Meaning & Origin of Lan
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Lan is a personal name, frequently used in Chinese and Vietnamese contexts as a feminine given name, which means "orchid" in Vietnamese.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Lan
As a girl name
Lan first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1972, with 9 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1982, when 47 Lans were born — ranking #2,150 that year. As of 2026, Lan ranks #15,532 for girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 769 Lans have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Lan first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1948, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1981, when 19 Lans were born — ranking #2,496 that year. As of 2026, Lan ranks #8,287 for boys with 9 births, gradually falling (-5%). In total, more than 310 Lans have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1940s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Lan
Phonetically similar names — useful when Lan is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Lan
What does the name Lan mean?
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In which U.S. states is Lan most popular?
Is Lan a unisex name?
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About the name Lan
Lan is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1972 and has accumulated 769 births in the dataset. Lan's peak popularity came in 1982 when it ranked #2,150. Use the chart and map above to compare Lan's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1982 →
- Names of the 1980s →
- Names starting with "L" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.