Total births
291
Boys' name · since 1987
Maclean
Since 1987, U.S. Social Security records show 291 babies named Maclean, peaking in 1998. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #12849
- among boys today
- 291
- born since 1987
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 10%
- more common than other boys
Maclean currently ranks #12849 among boys' names in America, with 291 babies recorded since 1987.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Maclean has been recorded 291 times among boys since 1987, currently ranked #12849 nationally and more common than 10% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 1990s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1987 to 2024.
- #12849 among boys today
- 291 born since 1987
- 1990s peak decade
- 10% more common than other boys
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
Maclean is currently the #12849 boys' name in America, more common than 10% of boys - 291 born since 1987, peaking in the 1990s.
- #12849
- among boys today
- 291
- born since 1987
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 10%
- more common than other boys
Maclean vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#12849
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 10% of names given to boys today.
1990s
Peak decade
37% of everyone ever named Maclean was born in this single decade.
1998
Single peak year
23 babies were named Maclean in 1998 - its busiest year on record.
How Maclean compares
291 45th percentile among 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Maclean's all-time total is 21% below the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Maclean | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 291 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 23 | 23 | 22,252 |
Maclean's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Maclean splits its recorded history at 2005: 41% of all births land in the more recent half, 59% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1987 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1998 peak of 23 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Maclean at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1998
Current rank
#12,849
Active since
1987
Maclean popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1987–2024
- Peak year (1998)
- 23
- Annual births at peak, across 38 years of records
Maclean by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1990s was Maclean's strongest decade.
107 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 37% of all-time use.
Maclean births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1980s 5
1980s
5 births
- 1990s
1990s
107 births
- 2000s
2000s
105 births
- 2010s
2010s
43 births
- 2020s 31
2020s
31 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 107 births (37% of all-time use).
Maclean by state
Where Maclean concentrates geographically, total births since 1987
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 5 | 1.7% |
California share of Maclean's total US births 1.7%
5 of 291 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Maclean? ▼
Maclean has been given to 291 babies in the U.S. since 1987, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #12849 as of the latest data. 23 babies were born in 1998, its single highest year.
When was Maclean most popular? ▼
Maclean was most popular in the 1990s decade with 107 total births. The single peak year was 1998.
Where is Maclean most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Maclean are California (5 births).
How long has the name Maclean been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Maclean since 1987 -- 38 years through the most recent 2024 data.
What names are similar to Maclean? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Mack, Mac, Mackenzie, Maceo, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Maclean's data
- Maclean's decade-level peak was the 1990s (107 total births); usage has since declined to 31 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Macleans (5 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Maclean
Nearby Names Like Maclean
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Maclean
Mack Boy
#498 42,720 births
Mac Boy
#695 11,397 births
Mackenzie Boy
#1870 7,861 births
Maceo Boy
#2137 3,195 births
Macario Boy
#3401 2,824 births
Compare Maclean side by side: Maclean vs Mack Maclean vs Mac Maclean vs Mackenzie
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Maclean
Data Sources
Data as of July 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1987–2024 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Maclean: #12849 Boys' Name - 291 Births, Peak 1998." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/maclean. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Maclean draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of July 2026.