Ian

maleHebrew, via Scottish Gaelic transmission

An Anglicized form of Scottish Gaelic Iain, itself from Latin Iohannes — ultimately from the same Hebrew root as John.

Origin: Hebrew, via Scottish Gaelic transmission

Official popularity data is available for 7 regions, from 1947 to 2025. Highest recorded position: #9 in New South Wales, Australia in 1954. See regions.

Ian: Recorded since 1947, it reached #9 in 1954, and it stood at #262 in 2025.

7registrars recorded it
253times a registrar ranked it
79years from first to last
#9highest recorded position
36groupings it qualifies for
19names it appears alongside

What stands out in Ian's record

Ranked inside the top 10 by 2 registrars. Names by top-10 reach
Held a top-100 place for 52 years running. Names by top-100 run
Appears alongside 19 other names across 5 kinds of recorded relationship. All recorded relationships
Shares a published list with another name across 74 years. Longest shared records

EE-un/ˈiː.ən/

Compare Ian Run Name Checker on Ian

Data Confidence

Evidence: ModerateCompleteness: SubstantialEditorial review: 2026-07-21

Confidence in the evidencebehind this name's data — never a rating of the name itself, and never affected by how well it matches your preferences. How this is assessed

Because: backed by officially or academically authoritative sources, recently verified, popularity data covers multiple regions.

Source authority

Averaged from the real per-claim source-authority assessments already computed for this name's meaning/origin/pronunciation/popularity evidence.

Independent corroboration

Averaged from the real per-claim supporting-source counts already computed for this name's evidence.

See full evidence assessment (8 dimensions, 1 not yet tracked)

Source agreement

No recorded source disagreement for this name's meanings or origins.

Recency

Calculated from how long ago this record was last verified (2026-07-21), against a 270-day staleness threshold.

Geographic relevance

Calculated from the number of geographies with official popularity data (7) — broader official coverage means the evidence base is relevant to more of where the name is actually used.

Completeness

Calculated from how many of the expected data sections (variants, similar names, popularity, notable usage, IPA pronunciation) are actually populated for this name.

Direct observation vs. inference

Averaged from the real per-claim direct-observation-vs-inference ratios already computed for this name's evidence.

Identity & variant resolution quality

Cross-source identity and variant resolution requires HEKNO Knowledge, which isn't connected yet.

Name Characteristics

How these are calculated

Descriptive attributes of the name itself — not a confidence measurement, and not an overall quality score. Namewise doesn't approve or disapprove of names.

Pronunciation clarity

Editorial judgement of how consistently this name is pronounced correctly on first read, mapped from an easy/moderate/variable rating to a number. Describes the name — not a measure of evidence confidence.

Spelling simplicity

Calculated directly from the name's spelling: shorter names with fewer irregular letter clusters score higher. A disclosed formula, not an editorial opinion — and not a confidence measurement.

Recorded regional spread

Derived from how many geographies' official statistics record this name. It measures where the name is registered, not how well-known it feels to people living there.

International spread

Derived from the same official statistical coverage, scaled to reflect how widely the name crosses national datasets. Not a measure of how easily it is understood in another language.

Trend stability

Derived from the name's traditional/modern classification and its current popularity trend direction.

Overview

Origin: Hebrew, via Scottish Gaelic transmission
Meaning: An Anglicized form of Scottish Gaelic Iain, itself from Latin Iohannes — ultimately from the same Hebrew root as John.
Pronunciation: EE-un
Syllables: 1
Common nicknames: None recorded
Classification: Traditional & modern
Gender usage: male
Language family: Hebrew, via Scottish Gaelic transmission

Popularity

Region

Falling

among boys in England and Wales · 1996–2025

View as table

England and Wales · Boys rank by year
Year	Rank
1996	#138
1997	#155
1998	#160
1999	#202
2000	#246
2001	#285
2002	#247
2003	#308
2004	#305
2005	#388
2006	#400
2007	#345
2008	#418
2009	#552
2010	#444
2011	#495
2012	#522
2013	#596
2014	#489
2015	#493
2016	#565
2017	#613
2018	#590
2019	#628
2020	#598
2021	#551
2022	#600
2023	#561
2024	#535
2025	#585

VerifiedSource: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales.Confidence: high.

See all England and Wales names · Source: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales

What the data shows

FallingEngland and Wales · Boys

Recorded in official data among boys in Norway in 72 of the 79 years from 1947 to 2025.

In 2025: #262 among boys in Republic of Ireland, #263 among boys in Norway, #585 among boys in England and Wales.

Official data from 7 national registrars across 7 regions, 1947–2025 · Office for National Statistics. Data sources

Popularity journey

First recorded1947
First recorded at #351 among boys in Norway in 1947 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #585 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys

Ian appears in 6 of the published lists Namewise holds. The longest record is Norway · Boys, which has ranked it in 72 years beginning in 1947, and has registered 665 births with the name.

Ian across 6 official records

Each registrar publishes its own list, so these figures are read down a row, never across one. A position in one country is not comparable with a position in another, and Namewise never combines them into a single ranking. The birth counts do not compare across rows either, for a different reason: England and Wales registers roughly thirty times as many births a year as Northern Ireland, so a larger total says which registrar recorded it as much as how widely the name was given.

Ian's first, highest and most recent recorded position in each official list, with the number of births each registrar registered with the name and its largest single year
Published list	First recorded	Highest	Most recent	Years recorded	Births registered	Most in one year
Norway · Boys	#351 (1947)	#263 (2025)	#263 (2025)	72 of 79	665 (1947–2025)	16 (2011)
Republic of Ireland · Boys	#62 (1964)	#24 (1990)	#262 (2025)	62 of 62	8,537 (1964–2025)	341 (1986)
New South Wales, Australia · Boys	#10 (1952)	#9 (1954)	#78 (1989)	38 of 38	15,258 (1952–1989)	829 (1955)
New Zealand · Boys	#12 (1954)	#10 (1955)	#79 (1985)	32 of 32	7,592 (1954–1985)	492 (1955)
England and Wales · Boys	#138 (1996)	#138 (1996)	#585 (2025)	30 of 30	2,871 (1996–2025)	253 (1996)
Northern Ireland · Boys	#129 (1997)	#118 (1999)	#348 (2023)	18 of 27	117 (1997–2023)	17 (1999)

Ian by decade in Norway · Boys

Births registered with the name in each decade of this one list, with the number of years the list covers in that decade. Bars are scaled on births a year, which is the figure that compares between decades — a decade the list only partly covers has a smaller total without being a quieter decade. Figures belong to this registrar alone and do not carry to another.

Births registered with Ian in Norway · Boys, by decade, with years covered and the average per year
Decade	Births registered	Years covered	A year
1940s	14	2 of 10	7
1950s	50	7 of 10	7
1960s	76	10 of 10	8
1970s	83	8 of 10	10
1980s	75	10 of 10	8
1990s	72	9 of 10	8
2000s	105	10 of 10	11
2010sbusiest	116	10 of 10	12
2020s	74	6 of 10	12

Across Norway · Boys, the 2010s were its busiest decade, averaging 12 births a year.

See the names Norwayhas recorded the most births with →

Ian appears in

Groupings this name qualifies for under their own stated rules, from the same official statistics shown above.

What the record shows

Recorded by 7 registrars between 1947 and 2025, ranked in 77 years of that period.

Its highest recorded position is #9, first reached in 1954.

It held a top-100 place in 52 years, 52 of them consecutive.

Its largest count from any one registrar is 829 births, registered in New South Wales, Australia in 1955.

2 registrars ranked it inside their own top 10.

Its record falls into 3 separate stretches, with a longest absence of 1 year.

A second registrar first ranked it in 1952, and 77 years separate the first registrar to record it from the last.

Every figure here is counted from the seven official registrars Namewise holds. A position is only ever a place within the list that published it, and a record that thins or stops is a fact about what registrars printed — never about how many children received the name.

Ian was ranked #9 in New South Wales, Australia · Boys in 1954. These are the names immediately either side of it on that published list — a fact about the registrar's own output, not a similarity judgement.

Where to go next

Records with a comparable body of evidence, so the catalogue can be read outward from this one. Each group states the rule it was selected by.

Next in the catalogue

The records either side of this one alphabetically.

Iago · #1407, 22y
Iain · #186, 53y
Ianis · #414, 16y
Ianto · #1620, 26y

A comparable record

Records held by the same 7 registrars, over a similar number of ranked years, whose highest position is closest to this one. A similar body of evidence — never a claim that the names themselves are alike.

Alan · #9, 78y
Helen · #9, 81y
Richard · #9, 81y
Alexander · #8, 77y

Also first recorded in the 1940s

Records whose earliest ranking in Namewise's registrar data also falls between 1940 and 1949.

Alan · #9, 78y
Astrid · #9, 81y
Hanne · #9, 80y
Helen · #9, 81y

Comparisons involving Ian

Existing comparison pages where Ian and another name were ranked in the same published list, in the same years, on the same scale. Each has its own evidence; none of them says the names are alike.

Longest shared records

Names ranked alongside Ian in the same published list across at least 25 years.

Ian vs Keith
Ian and Keith changed places 18 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1964 and 2025, ending at #262 and #577.
Ian · Keith · 59 shared years, 1964–2025 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
See the 2025 Republic of Ireland ranking
Ian vs Ciaran
Ian and Ciaran changed places 13 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1964 and 2025, ending at #262 and #372.
Ian · Ciaran · 61 shared years, 1964–2025 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
See the 2025 Republic of Ireland ranking
Ian vs Noel
Ian and Noel changed places 13 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1964 and 2025, ending at #262 and #402.
Ian · Noel · 62 shared years, 1964–2025 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
See the 2025 Republic of Ireland ranking

Closest long-running positions

Names that stayed close to Ian within one registrar's list over many years. A gap measured inside that list, never across registrars.

Ian vs Wayne
Across 35 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Ian and Wayne averaged 5.7 places apart, ending at #61 and #85.
Ian · Wayne · 35 shared years, 1952–1986 · Closest over the longest run
See the 1986 New South Wales, Australia ranking
Kevin vs Ian
Across 32 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Kevin and Ian averaged 6.8 places apart, ending at #83 and #79.
Kevin · Ian · 32 shared years, 1954–1985 · Closest over the longest run
See the 1985 New Zealand ranking
Brian vs Ian
Across 28 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Brian and Ian averaged 7.6 places apart, ending at #81 and #97.
Brian · Ian · 28 shared years, 1954–1981 · Closest over the longest run
See the 1981 New Zealand ranking

Order changes

Pairs where Ian and another name exchanged position in a published list, taken as the final meaningful change.

Ian vs Mitchell
In New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Mitchell moved into the top 50 at #33 in 1982 as Ian fell out of it to #58, having been #49 the year before.
Ian · Mitchell · 11 shared years, 1979–1989 · One took the other's place near the top
See the 1982 New South Wales, Australia ranking

Compared inside New South Wales, Australia lists

Pairs involving Ian measured in New South Wales, Australia's own published lists — the registrar that recorded Ian at its highest position.

John vs Ian
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Boys within 2 years — John #1 in 1952, Ian #9 in 1954.
John · Ian · 38 shared years, 1952–1989 · Peaked in the same years
See the 1954 New South Wales, Australia ranking
Peter vs Ian
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Boys within 2 years — Peter #1 in 1954, Ian #9 in 1954.
Peter · Ian · 38 shared years, 1952–1989 · Peaked in the same years
See the 1954 New South Wales, Australia ranking
Gregory vs Ian
Across 38 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Gregory and Ian averaged 8.8 places apart, ending at #81 and #78.
Gregory · Ian · 38 shared years, 1952–1989 · Closest over the longest run
See the 1989 New South Wales, Australia ranking

New South Wales, Australia overview→

Ian and the names beside it

Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale, in the same year, by the same registrar — so these are positions that genuinely passed each other, not a similarity judgement. Drawn from the 2,577 names with a recorded popularity standing (common, familiar, uncommon), so a name outside that set could have passed Ian without appearing here.

Ian moved ahead of

Gregory Compare
In 2013 they stood at #596 and #581 in England and Wales · Boys; by 2014 that had become #489 and #695.
Odd
In 2019 they stood at #376 and #311 in Norway · Boys; by 2020 that had become #270 and #470.
Andrew
In 2013 they stood at #414 and #405 in Norway · Boys; by 2014 that had become #322 and #518.
Declan
In 2022 they stood at #329 and #329 in Republic of Ireland · Boys; by 2023 that had become #243 and #436.

Moved ahead of Ian

Markus
In 1974 they stood at #301 and #322 in Norway · Boys; by 1975 that had become #563 and #218.
Marcus
In 1974 they stood at #301 and #354 in Norway · Boys; by 1975 that had become #563 and #287.
Leon
In 1994 they stood at #325 and #397 in Norway · Boys; by 1995 that had become #532 and #288.
Arlo
In 2008 they stood at #418 and #567 in England and Wales · Boys; by 2009 that had become #552 and #311.

Moved the opposite way to Ian

Conor
Between 1964 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Ian went from #62 to #262 while Conor went from #56 to #16.
Liam
Between 1964 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Ian went from #62 to #262 while Liam went from #54 to #7.
Leon
Between 1968 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Ian went from #44 to #262 while Leon went from #207 to #73.
Dylan
Between 1969 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Ian went from #45 to #262 while Dylan went from #246 to #69.

Moved the same way as Ian

Alfred
Between 1964 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Ian went from #62 to #262 and Alfred from #134 to #286.
Denis
Between 1964 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Ian went from #62 to #262 and Denis from #21 to #232.
Frank
Between 1964 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Ian went from #62 to #262 and Frank from #164 to #286.
Tobias
Between 1965 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Ian went from #54 to #262 and Tobias from #222 to #676.

Meaning & Origin

An Anglicized form of Scottish Gaelic Iain, itself from Latin Iohannes — ultimately from the same Hebrew root as John.

VerifiedSource: Behind the Name.Confidence: medium.

Hebrew, via Scottish Gaelic transmission

VerifiedSource: Behind the Name.Confidence: medium.

Other names with a researched meaning and origin →

Where Ian is officially recorded

7 official registrars have recorded Ian, between 1947 and 2025, in 77 of those 79 years. Each registrar publishes for its own population on its own methodology, so the positions below are each one country's own ranking and are not comparable with one another.

Registrar	Recorded	Years	Its own highest position
Norway	1947–2025	72	#263 in 2025
New South Wales, Australia	1952–1989	38	#9 in 1954
New Zealand	1954–1985	32	#10 in 1955
Republic of Ireland	1964–2025	62	#24 in 1990
England and Wales	1996–2025	30	#138 in 1996
Northern Ireland	1997–2023	18	#118 in 1999
Scotland	2024	1	#619 in 2024

Its high point came 71 years earlier in New South Wales, Australia (1954) than in Norway (2025).

Variants

No spelling variants or nicknames recorded yet.

Similar Names

No similar names recorded yet for this name.

Similarity is a demonstration score — see methodology.

Spelling

Spelling simplicity

Calculated directly from the name's spelling — see Name Characteristics above.

No commonly used alternate spellings recorded.

Pronunciation

EE-un/ˈiː.ən/

Syllables: 1
Ease: easy

VerifiedSource: Behind the Name.Confidence: medium.

Where Ian Is Recorded

National statistical agencies have recorded Ian in these places. This shows where the name is used — not where it comes from, and not that it carries particular cultural significance there.

New South Wales, AustraliaEngland and WalesNorthern IrelandScotlandRepublic of IrelandNorwayNew Zealand

Notable Usage

No safely-sourced notable usage recorded for this name yet.

Sibling & Surname Compatibility

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Ian

Ian at a glance

What stands out in Ian's record

Overview

Popularity

What the data shows

Popularity journey

Ian across 6 official records

Ian by decade in Norway · Boys

Ian appears in

What the record shows

Names published alongside Ian

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1940s

Comparisons involving Ian

Longest shared records

Closest long-running positions

Order changes

Compared inside New South Wales, Australia lists

Ian and the names beside it

Ian moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Ian

Moved the opposite way to Ian

Moved the same way as Ian

Meaning & Origin

Where Ian is officially recorded

Variants

Similar Names

Spelling

Pronunciation

Where Ian Is Recorded

Notable Usage

Sibling & Surname Compatibility

Ian at a glance

What stands out in Ian's record

Ian across 6 official records

Ian by decade in Norway · Boys

Ian appears in

What the record shows

Names published alongside Ian

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1940s

Comparisons involving Ian

Longest shared records

Closest long-running positions

Order changes

Compared inside New South Wales, Australia lists

Ian and the names beside it

Ian moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Ian

Moved the opposite way to Ian

Moved the same way as Ian