The name Lake feels timely in our current wave of water-inspired names, yet it remains relatively uncommon and distinctive.
Thanks to Lena for suggesting today’s Baby Name of the Day.
WHAT DOES THE NAME LAKE MEAN?
Simply put, a lake is an inland body of water.
The English word traces back through Old French lack to Latin lacus. Many languages have similar terms: loch in Scots and Irish, lago in Italian, lac in modern French.
Lakes are found across every continent. Some large examples blur the line with seas—the Caspian Sea is technically a lake—while others form celebrated border features, like the Great Lakes between Canada and the United States or Africa’s Lake Victoria, which spans several countries.
Smaller lakes number in the hundreds of thousands; estimates vary, but one commonly cited figure is around 1.42 million. Minnesota’s nickname, “Land of 10,000 Lakes,” understates the full count, which official tallies suggest is even higher.
As a surname, Lake developed as a topographic name: people who lived near a lake or in a place named for a lake might have been identified by that feature, just as others became known as Hill or Fields.
LADY OF THE LAKE
Lakes appear in myth and folklore around the world.
In Greek mythology, freshwater nymphs called Naiads are associated with springs, rivers, and lakes.
Nordic and Scandinavian traditions include similar lake spirits. In Swedish folklore, sjöfru—literally “mistress of the lake”—is a protective spirit tied to a particular body of water; these figures can resemble mermaids in some tales.
Of course, the Lady of the Lake from Arthurian legend is among the most famous lake-associated figures. Depending on the version, she may present King Arthur with Excalibur, imprison Merlin, guide Lancelot, or accompany the dying king to Avalon. She is sometimes named—Vivienne, Niniane, or Nimue—or treated as a type of supernatural being rather than a single character.
Modern retellings continue to explore these motifs. For example, the 2020 Netflix series Cursed centers Nimue and her path toward becoming the Lady of the Lake. All this lore layers meaning onto the name Lake, giving it mythic as well as natural resonance.
VERONICA LAKE TO LAKE BELL
Lake has appeared in Hollywood, both as a chosen stage name and as a given name. Veronica Lake, the 1940s film star known for her signature peekaboo hairstyle, adopted Lake as her screen name—reportedly inspired by the blue of her eyes; she was born Constance Ockelman.
Actress Lake Bell, who has worked in film and television, was given Lake as her birth name, demonstrating the name’s use beyond surnames or stage identities.
THE RISE OF NATURE NAMES
Nature-inspired names have long been part of naming trends—Victorian floral choices like Violet gave way to midcentury names with a more rugged feel. In the 2020s, water names such as River and Ocean have become especially popular.
High-profile examples include celebrity choices: Gisele Bündchen and Tom Brady named their daughter Vivian Lake. Some parents may also be drawn to the color associations of lakes—there is even a shade called “lake blue.”
LAKEN, LAKELYN, LAKELYNN
While the single-syllable Lake is still uncommon, a wider trend favors “Nature-Plus” names: a natural element combined with a familiar name suffix to create a given name. Variants like Laken saw usage in the 1990s, and spellings vary widely.
More recently, forms such as Lakelyn and Lakelynn have risen in popularity during the 2020s, reflecting the mix-and-match approach parents often take with nature-based naming.
HOW POPULAR IS THE NAME LAKE?
Because Lake began as a surname, it has a long history as a unisex given name.
It first appears in U.S. Social Security Administration records for boys in 1891 and for girls in 1893. Although Lake has not reached the SSA’s Top 1000, it has maintained steady use for more than a century.
In 2023, the name skewed slightly male: 88 boys and 49 girls were named Lake that year. That mirrors the broader popularity of water names for boys—River is a particularly strong example—yet cultural associations like “Lady of the Lake” make Lake a fitting choice for girls as well.
LACHLAN AND LOCHLAN
Related names with lake associations exist in Gaelic-influenced traditions. Lachlan and Lochlan, drawn from Scottish and Irish roots, refer to lochs—lakes and sea inlets—so they carry similar water imagery but with longer histories as given names.
RARE AND LOVELY WORD NAME
For parents seeking a simple, uncommon nature name, Lake is an attractive option. It has the clean, understated feel of names like Jane or Ray but remains distinctive.
With connections to the natural world, mythic figures, and both surname and given-name history, Lake offers a compact name with layered meaning and quiet charm.