Baby Name Popularity Profile

Ian

Data-driven SSA statistics, rankings, and historical trends for Ian.

✦ God is gracious 🌍 Celtic, Hebrew biblical traditional
National Rank (2025) #83
All-Time Peak Rank #65 Achieved 2003
Total U.S. Births 257,664 since 1880
Unisex Distribution 99.8% Boy / 0.2% Girl Overwhelmingly Male
First Recorded 1912 Last seen: 2025
Peak Decade 2000s 6,688 births in 2005
💡 The Ian Vibe: Considered a Modern Trend. A contemporary choice reflecting current cultural naming rhythms and popularity brackets.

🌍 Meaning & Etymology

Primary Meaning God is gracious
Language Origin Celtic, Hebrew
Origin Type multiple
Derived from the Scottish Gaelic form of John, which ultimately comes from the Hebrew name Yochanan meaning 'God is gracious'.
Alternative Spellings
Iain
Pronunciation: EE-an
Themes & Categories
biblical traditional
Etymology confidence: High

📖 The Story Behind Ian

According to SSA data, Ian achieved its highest historical rank of #65 in 2003. Its highest annual registration volume occurred in 2005 with 6,688 babies. Between 2015 and 2025, modern registrations have decreased by 26.4%. Overall, the name has maintained a ranked presence for 114 consecutive years.

📊 Factual Timeline & Current Trajectory (1880 – 2025)

Registration footprint of Ian across 145 years of SSA data.

5-Year Trajectory Stable
10-Year Shift -26.4% Decline
18801920196020002025

📈 Popularity Milestones & Volatility

Busiest Year on Record 6,688 births in 2005
Years in Top 100 44 yrs
Years in Top 500 64 yrs
Registry Streak 114 yrs
Historical Volatility Highly Volatile
Largest 1-Year Jump N/A
Decade-by-Decade Registration Volumes
1880s: 0
1890s: 0
1900s: 0
1910s: 92
1920s: 225
1930s: 445
1940s: 779
1950s: 1,670
1960s: 4,977
1970s: 17,186
1980s: 37,770
1990s: 54,007
2000s: 61,925
2010s: 52,475
2020s: 26,113

📐 Sound & Spelling Structure

Phonetic Syllables I-an
Letter Count 3 letters
Spelling Complexity Easy
Length Percentile Longer than 0.2% of names
Linguistic Profile: It is an isogram, meaning no two letters are repeated. Longer than 0.2% of SSA names. Starts with I, a letter used by only 1.7% of SSA names.

🛠️ Sibling & Surname Cadence Tool

Enter a surname or sibling name to test how it pairs with Ian.

📍 Authentic State & Regional Rankings

Highest Ranking State Alaska
Top States Alaska, Nevada, New Hampshire, Hawaii, Colorado
States with Data 51
State 2025 Rank Total Births Peak Year 5-Yr Velocity
Alaska Unranked 847 1984 Insufficient historical volume
Nevada #80 1,721 2006 9.8% Decline
New Hampshire #247 1,523 1989 Insufficient historical volume
Hawaii #97 1,463 1990 Insufficient historical volume
Colorado #73 5,218 2005 +31.8% Growth
Washington #80 6,903 1992 +17.9% Growth
Oregon #96 3,802 2001 +5.3% Growth
Arizona #86 5,091 2015 20.7% Decline
Utah #94 3,236 2005 3.6% Decline
Delaware #150 797 1995 Insufficient historical volume
Vermont Unranked 655 1994 Insufficient historical volume
Florida #70 12,389 2022 8.5% Decline
California #64 35,215 2014 17.0% Decline
Maine Unranked 1,473 1992 Insufficient historical volume
Maryland #55 4,998 2003 +19.8% Growth
Idaho #163 1,274 2004 Insufficient historical volume
New Mexico #62 1,660 1995 20.6% Decline
Connecticut #129 3,325 1991 17.1% Decline
Wyoming Unranked 406 1982 Insufficient historical volume
Virginia #88 6,635 2005 23.4% Decline
Texas #63 21,364 2014 13.5% Decline
New Jersey #50 7,701 1991 +33.3% Growth
District of Columbia Unranked 1,233 1989 Insufficient historical volume
Rhode Island #105 1,000 1994 Insufficient historical volume
Massachusetts #122 6,412 1990 18.1% Decline
Minnesota #81 4,457 2003 +10.8% Growth
Wisconsin #127 4,713 2003 +2.1% Growth
Montana #254 714 1998 Insufficient historical volume
Indiana #136 5,479 2004 30.7% Decline
Kansas #133 2,438 2001 Stable
New York #68 17,798 1992 Stable
Michigan #175 8,693 2001 7.9% Decline
Pennsylvania #165 12,235 1995 34.7% Decline
Ohio #149 10,460 2003 Stable
North Carolina #79 6,297 2005 2.6% Decline
Georgia #77 5,871 2005 +14.5% Growth
Illinois #106 10,236 2002 21.1% Decline
Nebraska #95 1,520 2000 Insufficient historical volume
Missouri #174 4,477 2005 18.0% Decline
North Dakota Unranked 664 2004 Insufficient historical volume
Iowa #77 2,462 2005 +53.6% Growth
Tennessee #101 3,833 2005 +14.3% Growth
Louisiana #112 3,203 2006 20.7% Decline
Oklahoma #105 2,353 2006 +57.1% Growth
South Dakota #204 565 2005 Insufficient historical volume
South Carolina #94 2,357 2011 +3.8% Growth
Kentucky #195 2,445 2007 19.4% Decline
Arkansas #161 1,500 2005 23.3% Decline
West Virginia #346 1,185 2006 Insufficient historical volume
Alabama #106 2,108 2006 +11.1% Growth
Mississippi #185 1,110 2005 Insufficient historical volume

👨‍👩‍👧 Sibling Name Suggestions

👦 Brother Suggestions
Jose Luis Evan Ethan Dylan Logan Caleb Aiden Angel Jonah
👧 Sister Suggestions
Ava Emma Leah Maya Chloe Julia Hannah Hailey Jade Grace

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