Fun Facts About the Name Lad
- 21 babies named Lad: U.S. records list 21 babies given the name Lad from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Lad Mean?
Lad is an English vocabulary name meaning "boy" or "young man." The word comes from Middle English ladde, recorded by the 14th century, when it could also mean a male servant or a foot soldier. Its earlier origin is uncertain; it may be related to a Scandinavian source or to an Old English word for a servant, but no single derivation is firmly established. The English surname Ladd, and in some cases Lad, comes from the same word used as a nickname. The given name Lad is rare and is most likely a transferred use of the surname or a spelling variant of Ladd. A less common explanation treats it as a short form of Slavic names such as Ladislav or of the Spanish Ladislao; those names have different origins and meanings. In South Asia, Lad is found mainly as a surname, especially in Maharashtra and Goa, and that surname has a separate history with an uncertain etymology.
Lad Name History & Origins
The English word lad appears in Middle English as ladde, used for a boy, a young man, or a male servant. It became a common term in northern English and Scottish speech. From this word came the surname Ladd and the variant Lad, originally a nickname for a young man or servant. As a first name, Lad is not part of a long traditional naming stock; it is best understood as a rare transferred surname name or a variant of Ladd. The related given name Ladd is also rare but is sometimes used in English-speaking countries. The South Asian surname Lad is a separate family name with its own regional history, and it is not evidence for the English given name's development.
How Popular is the Name Lad?
Lad has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 1956. Its best rank was #3,748 in 1956.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | #4,355 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1956 | #3,748 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1923 | #4,570 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1916 | #4,236 | 5 | 0.0006% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Most Popular Boy Names That Start with L
Short Boy Names That Start with L
How the Name Lad Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You always bring to completion anything you start. You are generous but like to see returns from your giving. You have an executive ability, you are a leader. You are moral, balanced, honest and intellectual, and you may attain spirituality. You are wise and practical with an appreciation of beauty. You always think before you act. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
Position and social status is very important for you and you are always looking for way to improve your position in society. You have power and ability to chose your own destiny and achieve anything you want in life. You can expand in any direction according to your will and the set of values. You have passion for justice and belong to the position of authority. You have an inherent courage and endurance to accomplish "The Impossible Dream". With the power comes responsibility. You hold keys to the material world, but with this gift comes high spiritual responsibility to be fair and true to others. You are philosophical and mature, determined and intense with a desire to endure, often religious.
✦ Lad's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Lad's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.