Meaning & Origin
A surname originating as a patronymic.
Lance is a boy's and girl's baby name of Old French origin, derived from the Germanic element land meaning 'land' or 'territory,' though it has long been associated with the lance — the weapon carried by mounted knights, evoking chivalry and courage.
Lance had its American heyday from the 1950s through the 1980s, fitting neatly into the era's taste for strong, single-syllable names. Cyclist Lance Armstrong put the name on global screens in the late 1990s and 2000s. It has a clean, athletic energy that still resonates — direct without being plain, strong without being heavy.