Maclean
MacLean, also spelt McLean, is a Scottish Gaelic surname, Eóin being a Gaelic form of Johannes (John). The clan surname is an Anglicisation of the Scottish Gaelic "Mac Gille Eathain", a patronymic meaning "son of Gillean". Gillean means "the Servant of [Saint] John [the Baptist]"), named for Gilleathain na Tuaidh, known as "Gillian of the Battleaxe", a famous 5th century warrior.
Meaning & Origin of Maclean
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
MacLean, also spelt McLean, is a Scottish Gaelic surname, Eóin being a Gaelic form of Johannes (John). The clan surname is an Anglicisation of the Scottish Gaelic "Mac Gille Eathain", a patronymic meaning "son of Gillean". Gillean means "the Servant of [Saint] John [the Baptist]"), named for Gilleathain na Tuaidh, known as "Gillian of the Battleaxe", a famous 5th century warrior.
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The Story of Maclean
Maclean first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1987, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1998, when 23 Macleans were born — ranking #3,296 that year. As of 2026, Maclean ranks #12,301 for baby boys with 5 births, gradually falling (-5%). In total, more than 291 Macleans have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Maclean
Phonetically similar names — useful when Maclean 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 Maclean
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About the name Maclean
Maclean is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1987 and has accumulated 291 births in the dataset. Maclean's peak popularity came in 1998 when it ranked #3,296. Use the chart and map above to compare Maclean's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
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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.