Namewise
Shortlist

Iain

maleStatistical record

What official birth registration shows about Iain: which national registrars published it, in which years, and how its recorded position changed.

No researched meaning, origin or pronunciation yet — what that means.

Falling

among boys in England and Wales · 1996–2021

England and Wales · Boys rank from 1996 to 2021, ranging from #319 to #4749.20002005201020152021#319#4749
How to read this chart#1#500no figure publishedUp means a stronger rankBottom is this name's lowest,not zero
  • A rank is a position in one registrar's list for one year.
  • Ranks from different countries are separate scales, so compare shapes, not numbers.
  • A rise in rank can be a small change in births, especially far down a list.
View as table
England and Wales · Boys rank by year
YearRank
1996#319
1997#331
1998#398
1999#471
2000#515
2001#433
2002#805
2003#889
2004#815
2005#1299
2006#1892
2007#1885
2008#1953
2009#2126
2010#3332
2011#3300
2012#3987
2013#2403
2014#2690
2015#2707
2016#3079
2017#3040
2018#4749
2019#4702
2021#3990

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 Republic of Ireland in 38 of the 47 years from 1965 to 2011.

In 2011: #623 among boys in Republic of Ireland, #3300 among boys in England and Wales.

Official data from 4 national registrars across 4 regions, 1965–2024 · Office for National Statistics. Data sources

Year-by-year storyFirst recorded, most recent, each country and each decade

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1965

    First recorded at #250 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1965–2011

    Highest recorded position: #186 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1988 (recorded 1965–2011).

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2021

    Most recently recorded at #3990 among boys in England and Wales, in 2021.

    England and Wales · Boys

Full data tableEvery published rank and count

Popularity data

Official popularity data is available for 4 regions, from 1965 to 2024. Highest recorded position: #186 in Republic of Ireland in 1988.

Iain's recorded popularity observations by year, region and administrative category, including rank, registered births, source confidence and when each region's data was last reviewed.
YearRegionCategoryRankBirths registeredConfidenceStatus
2021England and Walesmale#39904HighVerified
2019England and Walesmale#47023HighVerified
2018England and Walesmale#47493HighVerified
2017England and Walesmale#30406HighVerified
2016England and Walesmale#30796HighVerified
2015England and Walesmale#27077HighVerified
2014England and Walesmale#26907HighVerified
2013England and Walesmale#24038HighVerified
2012England and Walesmale#39874HighVerified
2011England and Walesmale#33005HighVerified
2010England and Walesmale#33325HighVerified
2009England and Walesmale#21269HighVerified
2008England and Walesmale#195310HighVerified
2007England and Walesmale#188510HighVerified
2006England and Walesmale#18929HighVerified
2005England and Walesmale#129915HighVerified
2004England and Walesmale#81526HighVerified
2003England and Walesmale#88922HighVerified
2002England and Walesmale#80523HighVerified
2001England and Walesmale#43349HighVerified
2000England and Walesmale#51538HighVerified
1999England and Walesmale#47144HighVerified
1998England and Walesmale#39855HighVerified
1997England and Walesmale#33173HighVerified
1996England and Walesmale#31976HighVerified
2007Northern Irelandmale#3154HighVerified
2004Northern Irelandmale#3053HighVerified
2003Northern Irelandmale#2993HighVerified
1998Northern Irelandmale#2215HighVerified
1997Northern Irelandmale#2713HighVerified
2011Republic of Irelandmale#6234HighVerified
2008Republic of Irelandmale#6983HighVerified
2007Republic of Irelandmale#4356HighVerified
2003Republic of Irelandmale#3755HighVerified
2002Republic of Irelandmale#23510HighVerified
2001Republic of Irelandmale#2976HighVerified
2000Republic of Irelandmale#2239HighVerified
1999Republic of Irelandmale#2666HighVerified
1998Republic of Irelandmale#2426HighVerified
1997Republic of Irelandmale#2617HighVerified
1996Republic of Irelandmale#22310HighVerified
1995Republic of Irelandmale#19113HighVerified
1994Republic of Irelandmale#2258HighVerified
1993Republic of Irelandmale#2238HighVerified
1992Republic of Irelandmale#2228HighVerified
1991Republic of Irelandmale#2307HighVerified
1989Republic of Irelandmale#1999HighVerified
1988Republic of Irelandmale#18611HighVerified
1987Republic of Irelandmale#19710HighVerified
1986Republic of Irelandmale#20310HighVerified
1985Republic of Irelandmale#2346HighVerified
1984Republic of Irelandmale#2178HighVerified
1983Republic of Irelandmale#2376HighVerified
1982Republic of Irelandmale#2238HighVerified
1981Republic of Irelandmale#2466HighVerified
1980Republic of Irelandmale#2229HighVerified
1979Republic of Irelandmale#2288HighVerified
1978Republic of Irelandmale#2834HighVerified
1977Republic of Irelandmale#19412HighVerified
1976Republic of Irelandmale#2228HighVerified
1975Republic of Irelandmale#2367HighVerified
1974Republic of Irelandmale#2278HighVerified
1973Republic of Irelandmale#2685HighVerified
1972Republic of Irelandmale#2794HighVerified
1971Republic of Irelandmale#2178HighVerified
1969Republic of Irelandmale#2704HighVerified
1968Republic of Irelandmale#2434HighVerified
1965Republic of Irelandmale#2503HighVerified
2024Scotlandmale#7273HighVerified

See methodology and data sources for how popularity data is collected and what "confidence" means.

Where Iain is officially recorded

4 official registrars have recorded Iain, between 1965 and 2024, in 53 of those 60 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.

Republic of IrelandRepublic of Ireland: recorded in 1965Republic of Ireland: recorded in 1968Republic of Ireland: recorded in 1969Republic of Ireland: recorded in 1971Republic of Ireland: recorded in 1972Republic of Ireland: recorded in 1973Republic of Ireland: recorded in 1974Republic of Ireland: recorded in 1975Republic of Ireland: recorded in 1976Republic of Ireland: recorded in 1977Republic of Ireland: recorded in 1978Republic of Ireland: recorded in 1979Republic of Ireland: recorded in 1980Republic of Ireland: recorded in 1981Republic of Ireland: recorded in 1982Republic of Ireland: recorded in 1983Republic of Ireland: recorded in 1984Republic of Ireland: recorded in 1985Republic of Ireland: recorded in 1986Republic of Ireland: recorded in 1987Republic of Ireland: recorded in 1988Republic of Ireland: recorded in 1989Republic of Ireland: recorded in 1991Republic of Ireland: recorded in 1992Republic of Ireland: recorded in 1993Republic of Ireland: recorded in 1994Republic of Ireland: recorded in 1995Republic of Ireland: recorded in 1996Republic of Ireland: recorded in 1997Republic of Ireland: recorded in 1998Republic of Ireland: recorded in 1999Republic of Ireland: recorded in 2000Republic of Ireland: recorded in 2001Republic of Ireland: recorded in 2002Republic of Ireland: recorded in 2003Republic of Ireland: recorded in 2007Republic of Ireland: recorded in 2008Republic of Ireland: recorded in 2011Republic of Ireland: highest position in 1988England and WalesEngland and Wales: recorded in 1996England and Wales: recorded in 1997England and Wales: recorded in 1998England and Wales: recorded in 1999England and Wales: recorded in 2000England and Wales: recorded in 2001England and Wales: recorded in 2002England and Wales: recorded in 2003England and Wales: recorded in 2004England and Wales: recorded in 2005England and Wales: recorded in 2006England and Wales: recorded in 2007England and Wales: recorded in 2008England and Wales: recorded in 2009England and Wales: recorded in 2010England and Wales: recorded in 2011England and Wales: recorded in 2012England and Wales: recorded in 2013England and Wales: recorded in 2014England and Wales: recorded in 2015England and Wales: recorded in 2016England and Wales: recorded in 2017England and Wales: recorded in 2018England and Wales: recorded in 2019England and Wales: recorded in 2021England and Wales: highest position in 1996Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland: recorded in 1997Northern Ireland: recorded in 1998Northern Ireland: recorded in 2003Northern Ireland: recorded in 2004Northern Ireland: recorded in 2007Northern Ireland: highest position in 1998ScotlandScotland: recorded in 2024Scotland: highest position in 202419652024
Each mark is a year the registrar recorded the name; the diamond is that registrar's highest position. Gaps can mean a year was not published, not that the name went unused.
RegistrarRecordedYearsIts own highest position
Republic of Ireland1965–201138#186 in 1988
England and Wales1996–202125#319 in 1996
Northern Ireland1997–20075#221 in 1998
Scotland20241#727 in 2024

Its high point came 36 years earlier in Republic of Ireland (1988) than in Scotland (2024).

Names measured beside itNeighbours, comparisons, related names and shared trajectories

What is known about Iain

How to read this
How often it is registered
Official record
4 official registrars, 1965–2024.
Meaning
Not established
Not researched yet.
Origin
Not established
Not researched yet.
Pronunciation
Not established
Not recorded yet.

A claim marked not established does not mean the name lacks a meaning or is not widely used — only that Namewise has not sourced and reviewed that content yet. Absence from a specific year or geography above does not prove zero use there either; official statistics only publish names above a minimum threshold.

Official popularity data is available for 4 regions, from 1965 to 2024. Highest recorded position: #186 in Republic of Ireland in 1988. Source data last verified 2026-07-21.