Given name & surname · also Germanic, Old French
Lance
In English use, Lance is a diminutive of Lancelot. One French interpretation is “an attendant; in Arthurian legend, a knight of the Round Table.” Its derivation is not certain.
Meaning & origin
What it means
In English use, Lance is a diminutive of Lancelot. One French interpretation is “an attendant; in Arthurian legend, a knight of the Round Table.” Its derivation is not certain.
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
This spelling has been associated with Old French, Germanic, and Latin naming traditions.
How it developed
In English usage, Lance is a diminutive of Lancelot.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1899. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. In English use, Lance is a diminutive of Lancelot. The history of Lancelot gives this family its wider story. Lancelot’s literary history includes the stories of King Arthur and his knights.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Lance through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 106,184
- 105,839 boys · 345 girls
- Most popular year
- 1970
- 4,173 babies
- 2025
- 279
- #862 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −23%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 279 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 862 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 23.4% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 4,160 in 1970. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (25). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 86,540 as a first name in 2020; 12,256 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Lance’s family of names
In English usage, Lance is a diminutive of Lancelot. In English usage, Lance shares a linguistic root with the Italian form Lanzo. Lance has a related form in Lancelot.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 3
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 3
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Lance
- Lance Armstrongcyclist from the United Statesborn 1971
- Lance StrollCanadian and Belgian racing driverborn 1998
- Afrika BambaataaAmerican DJ, record producer, and rapper (1957–2026)
- Lance HenriksenAmerican actorborn 1940
- Lance ReddickAmerican actor (1962–2023)
- Lance DavidsSouth African footballerborn 1985
- Lance StephensonAmerican basketball player (born 1990)
- Lance MacklinBritish racing driver1919–2002
- Lance ArcherAmerican professional wrestlerborn 1977
Characters named Lance: Lance Hunter (Marvel Comics character).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Lance, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Lanse
Lanse is a variant of Lancelot. One French interpretation is “an attendant; in Arthurian legend, a knight of the Round Table.” Its derivation is not certain.
95% boys · 5% girls
Gavino
“a little white falcon”
>99% boys
Lawande
“a wanderer”
—
Launcee
Launcee is a variant of Lancelot. One French interpretation is “an attendant; in Arthurian legend, a knight of the Round Table.” Its derivation is not certain.
—
Roderick
Roderick has Germanic roots, with later Scottish and Welsh uses that follow different paths.
>99% boys
Launcie
Launcie is a variant of Lancelot. One French interpretation is “an attendant; in Arthurian legend, a knight of the Round Table.” Its derivation is not certain.
—
Hans
“God is gracious”
>99% boys
Lancelyn
Lancelyn is a variant of Lancelot. One French interpretation is “an attendant; in Arthurian legend, a knight of the Round Table.” Its derivation is not certain.
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