Ian

Scottish version of John

"the Lord is gracious"

Ian Origin and Meaning

The name Ian is a boy's name of Scottish origin meaning "the Lord is gracious".

Ian is Scottish form of John, derived from the Hebrew name Yohanan. It is an Anglicization of the Scottish Gaelic Iain, which is also a viable spelling. Ian was introduced to Americans by Ian Fleming, creator of James Bond.

Ian was rather late making inroads on our shores—it was already the seventh most popular name in England in 1975. It’s been on a steady path in the Top 100 ever since the introduction of James Bond, thanks to its jaunty charm. Today, Ian flies in formation with fellow classic British RAF pilot names, like Derek and Miles and Colin, all now certified U.S. citizens, packing considerable punch and panache into its three short letters. So though it may not be the newest name on the block, it's still a recommended choice.

Notable namesakes include actor Ian McKellan and novelist Ian McEwan. Actor Ian Ziering pronounces his name EYE-an, rather than the traditional EE-an.

Ian Popularity

• 72 US 2022
• 295 Nameberry 2024
• 109 Future 2028
• 552 England 2021
• 180 Germany 2016
• 179 Netherlands 2015
• 51 Spain 2022
• 96 Portugal 2014
• 68 Slovenia 2022
• 33 Chile 2021
• 170 Canada 2022
• 81 Mexico 2021