Maclean as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Maclean

What is the meaning of the name Maclean ?

The baby name Maclean is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /məkˈleɪn/ (muh-KLAYN) or /mækˈliːn/ (MACK-leen).

Maclean is Scottish Gaelic in Origin.

Maclean is a Scottish name from the Gaelic Mac Gille Eathain, meaning “son of the servant (devotee) of Saint John.” The core elements are gille (“servant” or “follower”) and Eathain, a Gaelic form related to John. As a surname it identifies the Highland Clan MacLean of Duart on the Isle of Mull; the modern Gaelic spelling MacGill-Eain appears with notable figures like the poet Sorley MacLean. Common variants and anglicizations include MacLean, McLean, MacLaine, McLaine, MacLain, and MacLane; pronunciation is typically muh-KLAYN, with muh-KLEEN also heard in North America.

Used as a given name since the late 19th and 20th centuries, Maclean follows the broader Scottish surname-as-first-name trend and is now found in Scotland, Canada, the United States, and Australia. It skews masculine but is increasingly considered unisex. The name carries a refined, heritage-rich feel tied to Highland history and Christian devotion.