Ian

#10,917 for girls in 2025, 8 births · #83 for boys in 2025, 3,924 births
Given to boys 99.7% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · boys
2003 · 6,466 births
Debut · boys
6 births
In top 100 · boys
44 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · boys
257,664
since 1912

Ian over time

boys

Rank among boys' names. Click any year to open it.

#1#10#100#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201986peak #65, 2003boys
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025#10,9178#833,924
2024#11,1228#744,560
2023#9,61610#694,555
2022#11,2318#724,505
2021#12,2067#814,302
2020#8,40612#834,267
2019#12,4487#814,551
2018#13,7936#794,706
2017#9,94310#765,033
2016#10,8599#785,079
2015#8,44713#765,332
2014#14,5586#775,461
2013—#805,434
2012#11,2579#785,696
2011#8,19614#725,620
2010—#725,563
2009#17,2945#735,807
2008#12,5798#805,723
2007#9,53912#756,250
2006#9,28612#806,154
2005#7,13816#686,688
2004#5,20824#696,507
2003#7,58014#656,466
2002#11,1088#676,360
2001#6,61916#706,084
2000#13,1546#735,886
1999#7,71612#725,450
1998#7,53212#735,353
1997#10,8367#705,211
1996#5,77116#705,411
1995#10,5147#675,594
1994#10,5697#745,267
1993#4,99819#705,399
1992#8,06510#685,536
1991#3,93626#735,326
1990#3,52330#705,460
1989#3,47729#684,948
1988#3,03933#774,315
1987#4,12220#813,924
1986#2,72435#853,713
1985#2,93931#783,998
1984#2,91530#783,796
1983#3,34024#773,665
1982#3,01729#833,574
1981#5,57112#1012,928
1980#3,99219#1042,909
1979#4,62615#1072,554
1978#4,07917#1172,172
1977#4,65214#1192,287
1976#3,28721#1351,936
1975#3,95016#1441,717
1974#3,69517#1481,653
1973#5,19110#1801,302
1972#4,52312#1891,248
1971#6,0068#2021,201
1970#7,9955#2221,116
1969#7,4715#253828
1968#5,1478#276716
1967—#260771
1966—#297620
1965#5,8176#345488
1964—#383429
1963—#423360
1962—#473281
1961—#510242
1960—#510242
1959—#542208
1958—#537205
1957—#531213
1956—#539194
1955—#555175
1954—#558171
1953—#569157
1952—#640120
1951—#682104
1950—#621123
1949—#678102
1948—#71787
1947—#656111
1946—#70485
1945—#76764
1944—#75468
1943—#82464
1942—#71880
1941—#79862
1940#4,3495#84156
1939—#77661
1938—#89749
1937—#86950
1936—#92444
1935—#94045
1934—#1,00741
1933—#1,28127
1932—#1,05640
1931—#1,01543
1930—#1,02145
1929—#1,27231
1928—#1,11140
1927—#1,43627
1926—#1,51524
1925—#1,80619
1924—#1,41428
1923—#1,64422
1922—#3,0149
1921—#2,15215
1920—#2,76510
1919—#2,8779
1918—#2,54311
1917—#1,69319
1916—#1,94915
1915—#1,87815
1914—#2,10110
1913—#2,2737
1912—#2,2696
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First appearance
1912

The first year at least five boys were named Ian! It came in at #2,269, and was given to 6 baby boys.


Quietest stretch: 1912–1913, when fewer than 8 boys a year got the name.

Where Ian is popular in 1986

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #68 for boys · 19 births · 1 in 250 boysAKMaine: #58 for boys · 33 births · 1 in 220 boysMEVermont: #75 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 302 boysVTNew Hampshire: #51 for boys · 41 births · 1 in 170 boysNHWashington: #67 for boys · 107 births · 1 in 293 boysWAIdaho: #72 for boys · 21 births · 1 in 324 boysIDMontana: #102 for boys · 12 births · 1 in 435 boysMTNorth Dakota: #83 for boys · 15 births · 1 in 344 boysNDMinnesota: #81 for boys · 67 births · 1 in 459 boysMNIllinois: #92 for boys · 148 births · 1 in 539 boysILWisconsin: #74 for boys · 86 births · 1 in 386 boysWIMichigan: #87 for boys · 130 births · 1 in 491 boysMINew York: #78 for boys · 267 births · 1 in 458 boysNYMassachusetts: #57 for boys · 159 births · 1 in 247 boysMARhode Island: #61 for boys · 22 births · 1 in 272 boysRIOregon: #65 for boys · 65 births · 1 in 277 boysORNevada: #68 for boys · 20 births · 1 in 319 boysNVWyoming: #75 for boys · 10 births · 1 in 312 boysWYSouth Dakota: #97 for boys · 10 births · 1 in 478 boysSDIowa: #84 for boys · 41 births · 1 in 442 boysIAIndiana: #90 for boys · 71 births · 1 in 520 boysINOhio: #77 for boys · 182 births · 1 in 415 boysOHPennsylvania: #63 for boys · 244 births · 1 in 316 boysPANew Jersey: #70 for boys · 116 births · 1 in 410 boysNJConnecticut: #51 for boys · 82 births · 1 in 248 boysCTCalifornia: #96 for boys · 495 births · 1 in 461 boysCAUtah: #76 for boys · 52 births · 1 in 318 boysUTColorado: #58 for boys · 95 births · 1 in 265 boysCONebraska: #97 for boys · 20 births · 1 in 556 boysNEMissouri: #94 for boys · 65 births · 1 in 553 boysMOKentucky: #126 for boys · 29 births · 1 in 825 boysKYWest Virginia: #117 for boys · 15 births · 1 in 741 boysWVVirginia: #75 for boys · 91 births · 1 in 416 boysVAMaryland: #79 for boys · 59 births · 1 in 480 boysMDDelaware: #50 for boys · 18 births · 1 in 221 boysDEArizona: #71 for boys · 81 births · 1 in 336 boysAZNew Mexico: #101 for boys · 24 births · 1 in 473 boysNMKansas: #75 for boys · 51 births · 1 in 338 boysKSArkansas: #196 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 1,342 boysARTennessee: #137 for boys · 37 births · 1 in 846 boysTNNorth Carolina: #131 for boys · 49 births · 1 in 834 boysNCSouth Carolina: #141 for boys · 27 births · 1 in 781 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: #70 for boys · 22 births · 1 in 341 boysDCOklahoma: #130 for boys · 32 births · 1 in 703 boysOKLouisiana: #147 for boys · 46 births · 1 in 740 boysLAMississippi: #198 for boys · 15 births · 1 in 1,138 boysMSAlabama: #173 for boys · 26 births · 1 in 972 boysALGeorgia: #163 for boys · 45 births · 1 in 982 boysGAHawaii: #50 for boys · 34 births · 1 in 191 boysHITexas: #178 for boys · 162 births · 1 in 903 boysTXFlorida: #97 for boys · 133 births · 1 in 575 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Hawaii#50 · 1 in 191
  2. Delaware#50 · 1 in 221
  3. New Hampshire#51 · 1 in 170
  4. Connecticut#51 · 1 in 248
  5. Massachusetts#57 · 1 in 247

Best ever in a state: #25 in Vermont, 1994.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Delaware#50181 in 221
Hawaii#50341 in 191
Connecticut#51821 in 248
New Hampshire#51411 in 170
Massachusetts#571591 in 247
Colorado#58951 in 265
Maine#58331 in 220
Rhode Island#61221 in 272
Pennsylvania#632441 in 316
Oregon#65651 in 277
Washington#671071 in 293
Alaska#68191 in 250
Nevada#68201 in 319
District of Columbia#70221 in 341
New Jersey#701161 in 410
Arizona#71811 in 336
Idaho#72211 in 324
Wisconsin#74861 in 386
Kansas#75511 in 338
Vermont#75111 in 302
Virginia#75911 in 416
Wyoming#75101 in 312
Utah#76521 in 318
Ohio#771821 in 415
New York#782671 in 458
Maryland#79591 in 480
Minnesota#81671 in 459
North Dakota#83151 in 344
Iowa#84411 in 442
Michigan#871301 in 491
Indiana#90711 in 520
Illinois#921481 in 539
Missouri#94651 in 553
California#964951 in 461
Florida#971331 in 575
Nebraska#97201 in 556
South Dakota#97101 in 478
New Mexico#101241 in 473
Montana#102121 in 435
West Virginia#117151 in 741
Kentucky#126291 in 825
Oklahoma#130321 in 703
North Carolina#131491 in 834
Tennessee#137371 in 846
South Carolina#141271 in 781
Louisiana#147461 in 740
Georgia#163451 in 982
Alabama#173261 in 972
Texas#1781621 in 903
Arkansas#196111 in 1,342
Mississippi#198151 in 1,138

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the boys born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Ian
Momentum · boys
Holding steady
  • 9 spots since 2024 (#74 → #83)
  • Same as 2020 (#83)
  • 7 spots since 2015 (#76 → #83)
  • Biggest jump: 121 spots in 1939 (#897 → #776)
  • Biggest drop: 106 spots in 1943 (#718 → #824)
Rise & fade · boys
91 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1912
  • Peaked 2003 at #65 (6,466 births)
  • Not yet halved from its peak
Top of the charts · boys
Top 100 for 44 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: 44 yrs · run 1982–2025
  • Top 1,000: 91 yrs · run 1935–2025
Share of babies · boys
1 in 299
  • Highest: 1 in 299 boys born in 2005 were named Ian (0.33%)
  • Latest: 1 in 435 boys born in 2025 (0.23%)
  • Its best rank, #65 in 2003, was only 1 in 305 (0.33%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
Era · boys
The 2000s
  • 24.0% of all boys named Ian (61,925) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1910s92#1,693 (1917)#2,198
1920s225#1,111 (1928)#1,813
1930s445#776 (1939)#979
1940s779#656 (1947)#746
1950s1,670#531 (1957)#577
1960s4,977#253 (1969)#373
1970s17,186#107 (1979)#156
1980s37,770#68 (1989)#83
1990s54,007#67 (1995)#71
2000s61,925#65 (2003)#72
2010s52,475#72 (2011)#77
2020s26,113#69 (2023)#77

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 boys in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Ian in 1986

girls
#2,724
35 births · 1 in 49,016 girls
boys
#85
3,713 births · 1 in 496 boys

Top girls' names in 1986

  1. #1Jessica52,682
  2. #2Ashley49,671
  3. #3Amanda40,532
  4. #4Jennifer36,187
  5. #5Sarah28,163
  6. #6Stephanie22,651
  7. #7Nicole21,292
  8. #8Brittany20,313
  9. #9Heather19,790
  10. #10Elizabeth19,074
  11. #2,724Ian35

Top boys' names in 1986

  1. #1Michael64,235
  2. #2Christopher56,693
  3. #3Matthew46,929
  4. #4Joshua37,542
  5. #5David37,150
  6. #6Daniel36,573
  7. #7James34,057
  8. #8Andrew33,858
  9. #9Robert31,350
  10. #10John30,209
  11. #85Ian3,713
More about 1986

girls

1,715,547 girls got a published name in 1986; 1 in 49,016 of them was named Ian, which outranked 78.8% of the 12,836 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 18.1% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Ian
  1. #2,682Yanet36
  2. #2,682Zenobia36
  3. #2,682Zulema36
  4. #2,724Ian35
  5. #2,724Abra35
  6. #2,724Aleta35
  7. #2,724Alida35
  8. #2,779Aarika34
  9. #2,779Aleasha34
  10. #2,779Aletha34

Tied with 54 names at #2,724; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1985
Risers
  1. ↑ 9,719Kyrie#10,677 → #958
  2. ↑ 4,778Sable#5,678 → #900
  3. ↑ 2,034Eliana#2,484 → #450
  4. ↑ 1,497Shatara#2,484 → #987
  5. ↑ 1,374Cherrelle#2,253 → #879
Fallers
  1. ↓ 442Violeta#963 → #1,405
  2. ↓ 361Micaela#545 → #906
  3. ↓ 361Tasia#572 → #933
  4. ↓ 324Jo#925 → #1,249
  5. ↓ 306Tammie#987 → #1,293

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

1,841,515 boys got a published name in 1986; 1 in 496 of them was named Ian, which outranked 98.9% of the 7,830 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 22.2% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Ian
  1. #82Douglas3,763
  2. #83Casey3,762
  3. #84Gary3,719
  4. #85Ian3,713
  5. #86Philip3,665
  6. #87Derrick3,326
  7. #88Victor3,293
Biggest movers since 1985
Risers
  1. ↑ 1,279Spenser#2,226 → #947
  2. ↑ 920Jayce#1,614 → #694
  3. ↑ 714Addison#1,228 → #514
  4. ↑ 649Payton#1,614 → #965
  5. ↑ 573Cordell#1,181 → #608
Fallers
  1. ↓ 409Ulises#877 → #1,286
  2. ↓ 365Eliot#934 → #1,299
  3. ↓ 322Jordy#998 → #1,320
  4. ↓ 313Trace#956 → #1,269
  5. ↓ 292Kennith#963 → #1,255

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1986 →