Lake Unisex
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: layk //leɪk//
Origin: English; Old English
Meaning: lake; body of water
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Lake is derived from the Old English word "lacu," which means "lake" or "stream." This term has its roots in the Proto-Germanic *laku, which also referred to a body of water. The transition into English occurred as the language evolved from Old English to Middle English, with the term retaining its association with bodies of water throughout this linguistic development.
The name Lake, therefore, carries a straightforward meaning, directly referencing a natural feature, and it has been used as both a surname and a given name. Historically, the use of Lake as a surname can be traced back to the medieval period in England, where surnames often derived from geographical features or locations.
The name may have been used to denote individuals who lived near a lake or a stream, reflecting the importance of natural landmarks in identifying communities and families. In literature, bodies of water have often been imbued with symbolic meanings, representing tranquility, depth, and the passage of time, which may have contributed to the name's resonance in various cultural contexts.
In addition to its geographical significance, the name Lake has appeared in various cultural references, including literature and art, where lakes often symbolize reflection and introspection. The name may also evoke a sense of nature and the outdoors, appealing to those who appreciate the natural world.
While diminutive forms or variations of the name are not widely documented, the straightforward nature of Lake allows it to stand alone as a name with clear associations to the environment.
Famous people named Lake
In this section, you will find notable people named Lake. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Lake who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Lake who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Lake Bell is an actress and writer best known for In a World..., No Escape, and Wet Hot American Summer.
Fictional characters named Lake
The following list of fictional characters named Lake is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Lake is a fictional character from the video game series The Legend of Zelda. They are a key figure in the storyline, often associated with the themes of nature and the balance between worlds.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Lake, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Lake. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Lake was first seen in the United States in 1891.
Lake has ranked as high as #2672 nationally, which occurred in 2022, and has been most popular in California, Texas, Missouri, New York, and Ohio.
In the past 5 years the name Lake has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Lake is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Lake was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Lake.
| Year | Total Births | Boy | Girl |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 114 | 72 | 42 |
| 2024 | 141 | 105 | 36 |
| 2023 | 138 | 89 | 49 |
| 2022 | 154 | 99 | 55 |
| 2021 | 145 | 88 | 57 |
| 2020 | 138 | 79 | 59 |
| 2019 | 140 | 82 | 58 |
| 2018 | 119 | 69 | 50 |
| 2017 | 123 | 74 | 49 |
| 2016 | 107 | 63 | 44 |
| 2015 | 114 | 65 | 49 |
| 2014 | 92 | 52 | 40 |
| 2013 | 82 | 45 | 37 |
| 2012 | 75 | 53 | 22 |
| 2011 | 65 | 52 | 13 |
| 2010 | 81 | 65 | 16 |
| 2009 | 96 | 77 | 19 |
| 2008 | 77 | 67 | 10 |
| 2007 | 83 | 67 | 16 |
| 2006 | 83 | 73 | 10 |
| 2005 | 75 | 66 | 9 |
| 2004 | 51 | 51 | 0 |
| 2003 | 68 | 61 | 7 |
| 2002 | 71 | 62 | 9 |
| 2001 | 56 | 50 | 6 |
| 2000 | 61 | 55 | 6 |
| 1999 | 63 | 55 | 8 |
| 1998 | 88 | 77 | 11 |
| 1997 | 85 | 78 | 7 |
| 1996 | 86 | 86 | 0 |
| 1995 | 87 | 81 | 6 |
| 1994 | 48 | 39 | 9 |
| 1993 | 29 | 29 | 0 |
| 1992 | 18 | 18 | 0 |
| 1991 | 24 | 24 | 0 |
| 1990 | 22 | 22 | 0 |
| 1989 | 13 | 13 | 0 |
| 1988 | 13 | 13 | 0 |
| 1987 | 15 | 15 | 0 |
| 1986 | 13 | 13 | 0 |
| 1985 | 14 | 14 | 0 |
| 1984 | 12 | 12 | 0 |
| 1981 | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| 1980 | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| 1979 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| 1978 | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| 1977 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| 1976 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| 1975 | 7 | 7 | 0 |
| 1974 | 14 | 14 | 0 |
| 1972 | 7 | 7 | 0 |
| 1971 | 10 | 10 | 0 |
| 1968 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| 1966 | 7 | 7 | 0 |
| 1965 | 7 | 7 | 0 |
| 1964 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| 1961 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| 1960 | 7 | 7 | 0 |
| 1959 | 9 | 9 | 0 |
| 1957 | 9 | 9 | 0 |
| 1956 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| 1953 | 10 | 10 | 0 |
| 1952 | 7 | 7 | 0 |
| 1951 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| 1950 | 13 | 13 | 0 |
| 1949 | 9 | 9 | 0 |
| 1948 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| 1947 | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| 1946 | 12 | 12 | 0 |
| 1945 | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| 1943 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| 1942 | 12 | 7 | 5 |
| 1941 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| 1940 | 11 | 11 | 0 |
| 1939 | 13 | 13 | 0 |
| 1937 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| 1936 | 9 | 9 | 0 |
| 1935 | 11 | 11 | 0 |
| 1934 | 9 | 9 | 0 |
| 1933 | 9 | 9 | 0 |
| 1932 | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| 1931 | 12 | 12 | 0 |
| 1930 | 15 | 15 | 0 |
| 1929 | 9 | 9 | 0 |
| 1928 | 14 | 14 | 0 |
| 1927 | 15 | 15 | 0 |
| 1926 | 23 | 16 | 7 |
| 1925 | 12 | 12 | 0 |
| 1924 | 10 | 10 | 0 |
| 1923 | 22 | 15 | 7 |
| 1922 | 22 | 14 | 8 |
| 1921 | 27 | 15 | 12 |
| 1920 | 34 | 29 | 5 |
| 1919 | 32 | 22 | 10 |
| 1918 | 24 | 17 | 7 |
| 1917 | 24 | 16 | 8 |
| 1916 | 30 | 16 | 14 |
| 1915 | 20 | 12 | 8 |
| 1914 | 15 | 9 | 6 |
| 1912 | 7 | 7 | 0 |
| 1911 | 7 | 7 | 0 |
| 1910 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| 1906 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 1905 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 1902 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 1899 | 10 | 5 | 5 |
| 1897 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 1893 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 1892 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| 1891 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
Top States for Lake (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| TX | 16 | |
| CA | 12 | |
| GA | 7 | |
| MI | 7 | |
| FL | 6 | |
| WA | 6 | |
| LA | 5 | |
| TN | 5 |