About the name Ian
Ian is the Scottish route to John, and it has always struck a balance that few short names manage between plain and distinctive. It was everywhere in British classrooms of the 1960s and hit America a generation later, which is why it now feels comfortably established rather than trendy.
Ian is a boy name of Scottish (Gaelic) origin, pronounced EE-un. On the NameRarity scale it scores 31 out of 100, which places it in the popular band — a well-used favourite — expect to share it occasionally. Its strongest period was the 1990s.
Name facts at a glance
How popular is Ian?
Ian sits at approximately #125 in recent US rankings. Roughly 580 people per million carry it — about 1 in 1,724. In a school of 1,000 pupils you would expect not to find a single one.
Famous people named Ian
- Ian McKellenEnglish stage and screen actor
- Ian FlemingEnglish author who created James Bond
Spellings and variants of Ian
Names similar to Ian
Rian
REE-un
Little king; also read as a beam of light
Ivan
ee-VAHN
God is gracious
Lachlan
LOK-lun
From the land of lakes, warlike
Ayaan
ah-YAHN
Gift of God; someone with good fortune
Damian
DAY-mee-an
To tame or subdue
Duncan
DUNG-kun
Brown warrior
Ryan
RY-un
Little king
Brian
BRY-un
Noble, high
Ian — frequently asked questions
What does the name Ian mean?
Ian means "God is gracious". It is a name of Scottish (Gaelic) origin, most often given to a boy.
How do you pronounce Ian?
Ian is pronounced EE-un, with 1 syllable.
How rare is the name Ian?
Ian scores 31 out of 100 on the NameRarity scale, which makes it popular. Roughly 1 in every 1,724 people carry it — about 580 per million.
What is the numerology number for Ian?
Ian carries the expression number 6, known as The Nurturer. Its soul urge number is 1 and its personality number is 5.
What is the lucky number and lucky colour for Ian?
The lucky number for Ian is 6 (with 15, 24, 33 also favourable), and its lucky colour is Rose Blush. The traditional lucky day is Friday and the associated gemstone is Rose Quartz.
Is Ian a popular name?
Ian currently sits around rank #125 in the United States, and its strongest period was the 1990s.