Where does the name Ian come from?

Ian is a boy name of Scottish origin.

Is Ian a boy or a girl name?

Ian is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 0% of children given the name Ian are girls and 100% are boys.

How popular is the name Ian in 2023?

Ian ranks #9874 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 2005 with 6,704 babies.

How do you pronounce Ian?

Ian is pronounced EE-an (2 syllables).

What are common spellings of Ian?

Ian is also written as Iain, Eoin, John.

A name from Scottish · Boy

Ian

Scottish Gaelic form of John, from Hebrew Yochanan meaning 'God is gracious'. Independent since the 19th century and one of Scotland's defining male names.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 111-year arc in numbers.

249,180 U.S. births recorded from 1912–2023.

Popularity · 1912–2023

4,565 births in 2023

1912 1967 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

IScottish Gaelic form of John, from Hebrew Yochanan meaning 'God is gracious'. Independent since the 19th century and one of Scotland's defining male names.

Variants & spellings

3 ways to spell "Ian".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Iain Most common Eoin John

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Ian.

I
Ian McKellen (actor)
I
Ian Fleming (author of James Bond)
I
Ian Curtis (Joy Division)

Quick answers

People often ask about Ian.

What does the name Ian mean?: Ian means scottish Gaelic form of John, from Hebrew Yochanan meaning 'God is gracious'. Independent since the 19th century and one of Scotland's defining male names.
Where does the name Ian come from?: Ian is a boy name of Scottish origin.
Is Ian a boy or a girl name?: Ian is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 0% of children given the name Ian are girls and 100% are boys.
How popular is the name Ian in 2023?: Ian ranks #9874 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 2005 with 6,704 babies.
How do you pronounce Ian?: Ian is pronounced EE-an (2 syllables).
What are common spellings of Ian?: Ian is also written as Iain, Eoin, John.

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About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.