Happy to report “lad” is still in common use in the UK, typical usage “young lad”  

it’s pretty much interchangeable with “youth” (Saxon origin) 

curiously “youth” and “young” don’t seem to have a common origin, yet each defines the other 

And quite often I have to draw upon memories from when I was a wee little lad.  

I went to a family gathering and saw people I haven't seen in years. I'd lost 80 pounds, which was a shock for most. One of my cousins from Ocean Springs was just a wee lad last time I saw him, but now he's a teenager, two inches taller than me. It must be something in the water on the Gulf Coast.

11 minutes ago, JamesSavik said:

I went to a family gathering and saw people I haven't seen in years. I'd lost 80 pounds, which was a shock for most. One of my cousins from Ocean Springs was just a wee lad last time I saw him, but now he's a teenager, two inches taller than me. It must be something in the water on the Gulf Coast.

I'm not sure about that, but I'd be careful about the water on the Gulf Coast.  

'Lad' can also be used to describe someone who shows a particular form of tiresome male behaviour ('laddish').

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lad_culture

55 minutes ago, drpaladin said:

Ever notice the size of things like suits of armor or antique beds?

Yes, the average height during the middle ages was around 5 feet (152 cm), so imagine was it was like during Biblical times.  Goliath may have been considered a giant if he was 6 feet (183 cm) or more.  

On 4/18/2023 at 2:15 PM, Bill W said:

And quite often I have to draw upon memories from when I was a wee little lad.  

Sorry to be a pain, but as far as I know, wee (scottish) = small/little, so "wee lad".