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Lance

“From Germanic 'land'; folk-linked to a spear; diminutive of Lancelot” — Germanic, via Old French origin

Boy's name · #862 in the US (2025) · Retro

Lance's best rank, #76, came in 1970; it has stepped well back to #862 today. Roughly 106,000 boys have been named Lance since 1899.

Around the world: about 1 in 8,800 boys in Canada (2024).

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 31 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Famous Lances

• Lance Armstrong — cyclist from the United States
• Lance Stroll — Canadian and Belgian racing driver
• Lance Henriksen — American actor
• Lance Reddick — American actor (1962–2023)
• Lance Bass — American singer, dancer, actor, and film and television producer

In stories & tradition

• Lance Hunter — Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
• Lance Sweets — Bones · The Finder
• Lance Spearman — fictional human

What Lances become

Among 618 notable people named Lance:

Sports figures appear 2.42× more often than among typical names — e.g. Lance Armstrong, cyclist from the United States.

Similar names: Orlando · Larry · Vance · Rodney · Vince · Terrance

Browse more boy names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.

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