Fun Facts About the Name Maclane
- 187 babies named Maclane: U.S. records list 187 babies given the name Maclane from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Maclane Mean?
Maclane is an anglicized form of the Scottish Gaelic patronymic Mac Gille Eathain (also written Mac Giolla Eòin), meaning "son of the servant of John." Its parts are mac, "son"; gille (Irish giolla), "servant, lad, devotee"; and Eathain, a Gaelic form of the personal name John (Irish Eòin, from Latin Iohannes, ultimately from Hebrew Yochanan, "Yahweh is gracious").
The gille element in Gaelic names marks a devoted follower of a saint, so the whole name is best translated literally as "son of the servant of John," with John usually understood as Saint John. The name does not itself mean "gracious"; that meaning belongs to the underlying Hebrew name John.
Maclane Name History & Origins
The name began as a Gaelic patronymic in the Gaelic-speaking west of Scotland and in Ireland. It was formed by adding mac ("son") to the personal name Gille Eathain, "servant of John," so that a Mac Gille Eathain was a "son of Gille Eathain." Names of this gille-type were common in medieval Gaelic Scotland and Ireland, where a family's ancestor was often identified by his devotion to a particular saint.
In the Scottish Highlands the surname became the property of Clan MacLean, whose traditional founder is Gillean of the Battle Axe, a figure placed by clan tradition in the thirteenth century; the clan's stronghold was Duart Castle on the Isle of Mull. As Gaelic speech gave way to Scots and English in the Lowlands, and as families moved to Ulster and later to North America, the name was written in many anglicized spellings - MacLean, McLean, McClain, MacLane, McLane, and Maclane among them. Spelling was not fixed until the nineteenth century in most records, so these forms often refer to the same families.
As a given name, Maclane is a fairly recent use of the surname rather than an inherited Gaelic personal name; it follows the broad pattern of Scottish and Irish surnames being taken as first names in the English-speaking world.
How Popular is the Name Maclane?
Maclane 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 2002. Its best rank was #5,937 in 2002.
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 | #10,296 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2023 | #10,357 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2022 | #7,555 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2020 | #11,452 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2019 | #9,413 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2018 | #9,329 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2017 | #13,507 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2016 | #10,329 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2014 | #11,610 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2012 | #11,715 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2011 | #13,578 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2010 | #7,933 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2007 | #13,629 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 2006 | #10,233 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 2004 | #9,568 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2003 | #7,607 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2002 | #5,937 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2001 | #7,279 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2000 | #7,912 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1999 | #7,591 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1998 | #6,137 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1995 | #7,486 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1994 | #6,755 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1993 | #8,279 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1991 | #9,081 | 5 | 0.0002% |
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 Maclane Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You have psychic power. You can carry on for others with joy. You have a receptive nature and may bear burdens for others. You are pragmatic, thorough, strong-willed, practical and stubborn at times. You are hard working, often martyr to duty. You like home and security above all. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
Dependable, very down-to-earth and well grounded, you are always looking for meaningful work, a career where you can take pride in your work and do the best job you are capable of. Your prime desire is to build protected and secure environment at home and at work. You can be very persuasive in achieving goals and gaining objectives. You can be very detailed and well-organized and possess great organizational skills. At times you may appear too stubborn and overly critical to others, but your practical approach to life and productivity makes you one of the most beneficent members of community.
✦ Maclane's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Maclane's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.