Fun Facts About the Name Lykan
- 27 babies named Lykan: U.S. records list 27 babies given the name Lykan from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Lykan Mean?
Lykan is a rare given name usually understood to mean "wolf." It is best explained as a spelling of Lycan, an English word for a werewolf that derives from the Greek lykos (λύκος), "wolf." The same root underlies lycanthropy, from Greek lykanthrōpos (λυκάνθρωπος), literally "wolf-man," a compound of lykos and anthrōpos (ἄνθρωπος), "human being." A related older name is Greek Lykaon (Λυκάων), Latinized as Lycaon, the name of a king of Arcadia in myth, likewise connected to lykos. Because Lykan is a modern-style respelling rather than a name with its own long record, its literal sense is simply "wolf" or "of the wolf," with no separate symbolic meaning of its own.
Lykan Name History & Origins
The foundation of the name is the ancient Greek noun lykos (λύκος), "wolf," a common word in Greek literature. Greek personal names were built on it, among them Lykaon (Λυκάων), Latinized Lycaon, borne in myth by a king of Arcadia, a son of Pelasgus. In the best-known version of his story, told by Pausanias and by Ovid in the Metamorphoses, Lycaon tested Zeus and was turned into a wolf. The compound lykanthrōpos (λυκάνθρωπος), "wolf-man," joined lykos with anthrōpos, "human being"; it passed into English through Latin as lycanthropy, and the clipped English noun lycan, "werewolf," was later formed from that word. The spelling Lykan corresponds to the pronunciation of lycan while replacing -c- with -k-, a kind of respelling common in modern names. Its clearest connection is therefore to the Greek wolf root and the older names and words formed from it, rather than to a distinct ancient name of its own.
How Popular is the Name Lykan?
Lykan 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 2019. Its best rank was #8,615 in 2019.
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 | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #13,171 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2023 | #10,354 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2019 | #8,615 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2017 | #11,633 | 6 | 0.0003% |
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.
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How the Name Lykan 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 inventive, intuitive and extremely methodical. Since your will is so strong, you are hard to convince. You also dislike advice. You love beauty and philosophy, and you desire achievement. You have a strong need for freedom - physical, mental and spiritual.
You desire to inspire and lead, to control other's affairs. You are giving, courageous and bold, action oriented,energetic and strong willed. You want to make a difference in the world, and this attitude often attracts you to cultural interests, politics, social issues, and the cultivation of your creative talents.
✦ Lykan's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Lykan's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.