Boy nameCurrently #75 in the USSteady
Ian
EE-un//ˈiːən//
2 syllablesPeak year: 20053 lettersStarts with I
Meaning & origin
God is gracious (Scottish form of John)
Ian is the Scottish Gaelic form of John, sharing its Hebrew meaning 'God is gracious'. Short, clean, and internationally familiar, it has been a steady favorite across the English-speaking world for decades.
Ian's popularity over time
| Year | Births named Ian |
|---|---|
| 1912 | 6 |
| 1913 | 7 |
| 1914 | 10 |
| 1915 | 15 |
| 1916 | 15 |
| 1917 | 19 |
| 1918 | 11 |
| 1919 | 9 |
| 1920 | 10 |
| 1921 | 15 |
| 1922 | 9 |
| 1923 | 22 |
| 1924 | 28 |
| 1925 | 19 |
| 1926 | 24 |
| 1927 | 27 |
| 1928 | 40 |
| 1929 | 31 |
| 1930 | 45 |
| 1931 | 43 |
| 1932 | 40 |
| 1933 | 27 |
| 1934 | 41 |
| 1935 | 45 |
| 1936 | 44 |
| 1937 | 50 |
| 1938 | 49 |
| 1939 | 61 |
| 1940 | 61 |
| 1941 | 62 |
| 1942 | 80 |
| 1943 | 64 |
| 1944 | 68 |
| 1945 | 64 |
| 1946 | 85 |
| 1947 | 111 |
| 1948 | 87 |
| 1949 | 102 |
| 1950 | 123 |
| 1951 | 104 |
| 1952 | 120 |
| 1953 | 157 |
| 1954 | 171 |
| 1955 | 175 |
| 1956 | 194 |
| 1957 | 213 |
| 1958 | 205 |
| 1959 | 208 |
| 1960 | 242 |
| 1961 | 242 |
| 1962 | 281 |
| 1963 | 360 |
| 1964 | 429 |
| 1965 | 495 |
| 1966 | 621 |
| 1967 | 771 |
| 1968 | 724 |
| 1969 | 832 |
| 1970 | 1,122 |
| 1971 | 1,208 |
| 1972 | 1,260 |
| 1973 | 1,312 |
| 1974 | 1,671 |
| 1975 | 1,734 |
| 1976 | 1,958 |
| 1977 | 2,301 |
| 1978 | 2,189 |
| 1979 | 2,568 |
| 1980 | 2,928 |
| 1981 | 2,941 |
| 1982 | 3,605 |
| 1983 | 3,689 |
| 1984 | 3,824 |
| 1985 | 4,030 |
| 1986 | 3,749 |
| 1987 | 3,944 |
| 1988 | 4,348 |
| 1989 | 4,977 |
| 1990 | 5,490 |
| 1991 | 5,350 |
| 1992 | 5,546 |
| 1993 | 5,418 |
| 1994 | 5,274 |
| 1995 | 5,602 |
| 1996 | 5,426 |
| 1997 | 5,217 |
| 1998 | 5,365 |
| 1999 | 5,462 |
| 2000 | 5,892 |
| 2001 | 6,100 |
| 2002 | 6,369 |
| 2003 | 6,480 |
| 2004 | 6,531 |
| 2005 | 6,704 |
| 2006 | 6,166 |
| 2007 | 6,262 |
| 2008 | 5,731 |
| 2009 | 5,812 |
| 2010 | 5,561 |
| 2011 | 5,633 |
| 2012 | 5,703 |
| 2013 | 5,432 |
| 2014 | 5,467 |
| 2015 | 5,342 |
| 2016 | 5,088 |
| 2017 | 5,043 |
| 2018 | 4,710 |
| 2019 | 4,557 |
| 2020 | 4,278 |
| 2021 | 4,307 |
| 2022 | 4,509 |
| 2023 | 4,561 |
| 2024 | 4,555 |
Ian through the decades
- Ian peaked in 2005, when 6,704 babies were named Ian in the US.
- Over the last 10 years of data (2015–2024), use of Ian has fallen 20% compared to the 10 years before that.
- Ian currently ranks #75 in the US and is holding steady.
Nicknames
Ian
Variants & spellings
IainSean
Famous people named Ian
- Ian Fleming — author of James Bond novels