Ian
Meaning & Origin
Meaning: God Is Gracious; Gift of God
Background: The name Ian originates from the Scottish Gaelic form of the name John, which in turn derives from the Latin 'Ianus' and the Greek 'Ioannis.' The name is linked to the meaning 'God is gracious' or 'gift of God.'
At a glance
Quick stats based on the history of this name.
Lifetime rank
#147
Total births
254,514
Most popular decade
2000s
(186,141 births)
10-year trend
↑ Rising (+2 ranks)
Years in Top 100
43
First recorded year
1912
Gender usage
99.7% male
0.3% female
Stats by gender
Male
- First year
- 1912
- First year births
- 6
- First year rank
- #2,269
- Peak year
- 2005
- Peak year births
- 6,688
- Peak rank
- #68
- Most recent year
- 2024
- Recent year births
- 4,547
- Recent rank
- #75
Female
- First year
- 1940
- First year births
- 5
- First year rank
- #4,349
- Peak year
- 1986
- Peak year births
- 35
- Peak rank
- #2,724
- Most recent year
- 2024
- Recent year births
- 8
- Recent rank
- #11,069
Births over time
Number of babies given this name each year.
Rank over time
Popularity rank by year (1 = most popular).