Ian Name Meaning, Origin and Popularity
Ian is predominantly used for boys. The statistics below show this exact spelling in official U.S. records.
How Do You Spell Ian?
Ian is spelled I-A-N. The name has 3 letters.
Ian at a Glance
- Usage
- Predominantly used for boys
- Meaning
- Ian is a Scottish form of John, which itself derives from the Hebrew name Yochanan meaning “God is gracious.”
- Origin
- Ian is commonly associated with Scottish usage and is considered a Gaelic variant of the name John.
- Pronunciation
- EE-uhn · 2 syllables
Ian Popularity in 2025
Rank#10,917
Recorded Births8
Rank#83
Recorded Births3,924
- Girls usage rose 205 places to #10,917 and recorded the same number of births compared with 2024.
- Boys usage fell 9 places to #83 and recorded 636 fewer births compared with 2024.
Figures reflect this exact spelling in the latest available U.S. Social Security Administration records. See the complete year-by-year trend.
What Does the Name Ian Mean?
Ian is a Scottish form of John, which itself derives from the Hebrew name Yochanan meaning “God is gracious.”
Origin: Ian is commonly associated with Scottish usage and is considered a Gaelic variant of the name John.
How Do You Pronounce Ian?
PronunciationEE-uhn
Syllables2
What Is the History of the Name Ian?
- History
- The name Ian has been used in Scotland and other English-speaking countries for centuries and remains in use today.
Ian Popularity by Year
The table below shows the most recent available records for this exact spelling from 2014 through 2025. Use the full history page to explore every recorded year.
| Year | Usage Category | Recorded Births | National Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Girls | 8 | #10,917 |
| 2025 | Boys | 3,924 | #83 |
| 2024 | Girls | 8 | #11,122 |
| 2024 | Boys | 4,560 | #74 |
| 2023 | Girls | 10 | #9,616 |
| 2023 | Boys | 4,555 | #69 |
| 2022 | Girls | 8 | #11,231 |
| 2022 | Boys | 4,505 | #72 |
| 2021 | Girls | 7 | #12,206 |
| 2021 | Boys | 4,302 | #81 |
| 2020 | Girls | 12 | #8,406 |
| 2020 | Boys | 4,267 | #83 |
| 2019 | Girls | 7 | #12,448 |
| 2019 | Boys | 4,551 | #81 |
| 2018 | Girls | 6 | #13,793 |
| 2018 | Boys | 4,706 | #79 |
| 2017 | Girls | 10 | #9,943 |
| 2017 | Boys | 5,033 | #76 |
| 2016 | Girls | 9 | #10,859 |
| 2016 | Boys | 5,079 | #78 |
| 2015 | Girls | 13 | #8,447 |
| 2015 | Boys | 5,332 | #76 |
| 2014 | Girls | 6 | #14,558 |
| 2014 | Boys | 5,461 | #77 |
When Was Ian Most Popular?
Peak years are based on the highest recorded birth totals for this exact spelling and usage category. They are ordered by birth count, not chronologically.
2005 · Boys
6,688 recorded births
National rank #68
2004 · Boys
6,507 recorded births
National rank #69
2003 · Boys
6,466 recorded births
National rank #65
2002 · Boys
6,360 recorded births
National rank #67
Where Ian Ranked Highest in 2025
State rankings are calculated separately for girls and boys within each state. The SSA omits state-level names recorded fewer than five times, so low visible counts can still represent a relatively high state rank.
Top States for Boys
| State | Rank | Recorded Births |
|---|---|---|
| NJ | #50 | 176 |
| MD | #55 | 97 |
| NM | #62 | 27 |
| TX | #63 | 575 |
| CA | #63 | 545 |
| NY | #68 | 246 |
| CO | #69 | 87 |
| FL | #70 | 281 |