All about the name

Nolan

Female

« Nolan is of Irish origin, derived from the surname O'Loughlin which means "descendant of Lochlann", a Norse chieftain who settled in Ireland. »

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Meaning, origin, history

Nolan is a name of Irish origin, derived from the Irish surname "O'Loughlin". This surname comes from the Gaelic word "Ua Lochlann", which means "descendant of Lochlann". Lochlann was a Norse chieftain who settled in Ireland and became the ancestor of the O'Loughlin clan. The name Nolan has been used as both a first name and a surname throughout history. In some cases, it has been anglicized to other forms such as "Noland" or "Nolin". One famous bearer of the name Nolan was Francis Gary Powers, the American pilot whose U-2 spy plane was shot down over the Soviet Union in 1960. His capture and subsequent trial created an international incident. Today, Nolan is used primarily as a first name for boys and has become quite popular in recent years. According to data from the Social Security Administration in the United States, it ranked as the 357th most common boy's name in 2018. Overall, Nolan is a strong and distinctive Irish name with an interesting historical background that continues to be used today.

In numbers

Popularity of the name Nolan since 1880

Total births
506
Total since 1880
Peak year
2019
36 births
in 2023
32
Recent births (5 years)
5-year trend
+82%
vs previous 5 years