Boy · #75 in 2026

Ian

Name: Popularity of the name Ian in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Ian, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

Ian or Iain is a male name of Scottish Gaelic origin, which is derived from the Hebrew given name יוֹחָנָן‎ and corresponds to the English name John. The spelling Ian is an Anglicization of the Scottish Gaelic forename Iain. This name is a popular name in Scotland, where it originated, as well as in other English-speaking countries.

Current Rank

#75

Peak Rank

#65 (2005)

Total Babies

263K

5-Yr Trend

Stable

1940

First Year

2024

Last Year

1986

Peak Year

#2724

Peak Rank

807

Total Count

Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Ian

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

The Story of Ian

Ian first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1912, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2005, when 6,688 Ians were born — ranking #68 that year. As of 2026, Ian ranks #75 for baby boys with 4,650 births, holding steady (+0%). In total, more than 263K Ians have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Ian

Phonetically similar names — useful when Ian is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Eon
Ijn
Ium
Iam
Aeon
Iain
Eum
Iem
Iun
Eomb
Eoan
Ion

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Ian

What does the name Ian mean?

How popular is Ian in 2026?

In 2026, Ian ranks #75 among boys' names in the U.S., with 4,650 babies given the name that year.

When was Ian most popular?

Ian reached its peak popularity in 2005, ranking #65 that year with 6,688 babies given the name.

In which U.S. states is Ian most popular?

Ian has historically been most popular in Puerto Rico, U.S. Territories, Vermont. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Ian.

Is Ian a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Ian is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.

What names go well with Ian?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Ian include Guy, Vernon, Cecil. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Ian

Ian is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1912 and has accumulated 263K births in the dataset. Ian's peak popularity came in 2005 when it ranked #65. Use the chart and map above to compare Ian's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.