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#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201988peak #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 1988

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #54 for boys · 21 births · 1 in 206 boysAKMaine: #52 for boys · 42 births · 1 in 173 boysMEVermont: #55 for boys · 19 births · 1 in 174 boysVTNew Hampshire: #52 for boys · 42 births · 1 in 183 boysNHWashington: #54 for boys · 153 births · 1 in 213 boysWAIdaho: #74 for boys · 23 births · 1 in 276 boysIDMontana: #66 for boys · 19 births · 1 in 243 boysMTNorth Dakota: #95 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 422 boysNDMinnesota: #85 for boys · 64 births · 1 in 479 boysMNIllinois: #74 for boys · 209 births · 1 in 399 boysILWisconsin: #78 for boys · 78 births · 1 in 415 boysWIMichigan: #72 for boys · 172 births · 1 in 376 boysMINew York: #70 for boys · 335 births · 1 in 387 boysNYMassachusetts: #59 for boys · 153 births · 1 in 271 boysMARhode Island: #66 for boys · 20 births · 1 in 315 boysRIOregon: #57 for boys · 85 births · 1 in 216 boysORNevada: #77 for boys · 22 births · 1 in 328 boysNVWyoming: #72 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 232 boysWYSouth Dakota: #125 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 672 boysSDIowa: #89 for boys · 41 births · 1 in 431 boysIAIndiana: #87 for boys · 81 births · 1 in 479 boysINOhio: #75 for boys · 192 births · 1 in 401 boysOHPennsylvania: #65 for boys · 276 births · 1 in 287 boysPANew Jersey: #67 for boys · 139 births · 1 in 370 boysNJConnecticut: #63 for boys · 68 births · 1 in 319 boysCTCalifornia: #88 for boys · 628 births · 1 in 402 boysCAUtah: #82 for boys · 46 births · 1 in 354 boysUTColorado: #56 for boys · 98 births · 1 in 246 boysCONebraska: #84 for boys · 30 births · 1 in 363 boysNEMissouri: #96 for boys · 68 births · 1 in 537 boysMOKentucky: #128 for boys · 28 births · 1 in 843 boysKYWest Virginia: #97 for boys · 20 births · 1 in 517 boysWVVirginia: #72 for boys · 106 births · 1 in 379 boysVAMaryland: #73 for boys · 80 births · 1 in 383 boysMDDelaware: #95 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 491 boysDEArizona: #80 for boys · 81 births · 1 in 364 boysAZNew Mexico: #123 for boys · 21 births · 1 in 544 boysNMKansas: #95 for boys · 38 births · 1 in 439 boysKSArkansas: #136 for boys · 21 births · 1 in 700 boysARTennessee: #140 for boys · 38 births · 1 in 891 boysTNNorth Carolina: #107 for boys · 71 births · 1 in 613 boysNCSouth Carolina: #139 for boys · 31 births · 1 in 725 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: #61 for boys · 29 births · 1 in 286 boysDCOklahoma: #143 for boys · 26 births · 1 in 798 boysOKLouisiana: #136 for boys · 49 births · 1 in 645 boysLAMississippi: #323 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 2,341 boysMSAlabama: #198 for boys · 21 births · 1 in 1,230 boysALGeorgia: #135 for boys · 63 births · 1 in 741 boysGAHawaii: #40 for boys · 45 births · 1 in 150 boysHITexas: #152 for boys · 194 births · 1 in 743 boysTXFlorida: #81 for boys · 184 births · 1 in 459 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Hawaii#40 · 1 in 150
  2. Maine#52 · 1 in 173
  3. New Hampshire#52 · 1 in 183
  4. Alaska#54 · 1 in 206
  5. Washington#54 · 1 in 213

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Hawaii#40451 in 150
Maine#52421 in 173
New Hampshire#52421 in 183
Alaska#54211 in 206
Washington#541531 in 213
Vermont#55191 in 174
Colorado#56981 in 246
Oregon#57851 in 216
Massachusetts#591531 in 271
District of Columbia#61291 in 286
Connecticut#63681 in 319
Pennsylvania#652761 in 287
Montana#66191 in 243
Rhode Island#66201 in 315
New Jersey#671391 in 370
New York#703351 in 387
Michigan#721721 in 376
Virginia#721061 in 379
Wyoming#72111 in 232
Maryland#73801 in 383
Idaho#74231 in 276
Illinois#742091 in 399
Ohio#751921 in 401
Nevada#77221 in 328
Wisconsin#78781 in 415
Arizona#80811 in 364
Florida#811841 in 459
Utah#82461 in 354
Nebraska#84301 in 363
Minnesota#85641 in 479
Indiana#87811 in 479
California#886281 in 402
Iowa#89411 in 431
Delaware#9591 in 491
Kansas#95381 in 439
North Dakota#95111 in 422
Missouri#96681 in 537
West Virginia#97201 in 517
North Carolina#107711 in 613
New Mexico#123211 in 544
South Dakota#12571 in 672
Kentucky#128281 in 843
Georgia#135631 in 741
Arkansas#136211 in 700
Louisiana#136491 in 645
South Carolina#139311 in 725
Tennessee#140381 in 891
Oklahoma#143261 in 798
Texas#1521941 in 743
Alabama#198211 in 1,230
Mississippi#32371 in 2,341

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 1988

girls
#3,039
33 births · 1 in 53,965 girls
boys
#77
4,315 births · 1 in 444 boys

Top girls' names in 1988

  1. #1Jessica51,556
  2. #2Ashley49,977
  3. #3Amanda39,459
  4. #4Sarah28,374
  5. #5Jennifer27,893
  6. #6Brittany26,816
  7. #7Stephanie22,843
  8. #8Samantha20,700
  9. #9Nicole20,315
  10. #10Elizabeth20,042
  11. #3,039Ian33

Top boys' names in 1988

  1. #1Michael64,171
  2. #2Christopher53,014
  3. #3Matthew45,876
  4. #4Joshua42,653
  5. #5Andrew35,745
  6. #6David35,329
  7. #7Justin35,055
  8. #8Daniel34,718
  9. #9James32,523
  10. #10Robert30,319
  11. #77Ian4,315
More about 1988

girls

1,780,854 girls got a published name in 1988; 1 in 53,965 of them was named Ian, which outranked 78.1% of the 13,883 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 17.3% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Ian
  1. #2,987Tanaya34
  2. #2,987Velvet34
  3. #2,987Zulma34
  4. #3,039Ian33
  5. #3,039Adora33
  6. #3,039Adrien33
  7. #3,039Alli33
  8. #3,095Aishah32
  9. #3,095Berta32
  10. #3,095Britanie32

Tied with 55 names at #3,039; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1987
Risers
  1. ↑ 2,890Jalissa#3,857 → #967
  2. ↑ 2,381Taja#3,101 → #720
  3. ↑ 1,710Whitley#2,156 → #446
  4. ↑ 1,225Jalisa#1,662 → #437
  5. ↑ 883Jaleesa#1,227 → #344
Fallers
  1. ↓ 620Channing#590 → #1,210
  2. ↓ 346Denisse#954 → #1,300
  3. ↓ 319Jeana#966 → #1,285
  4. ↓ 314Eliana#826 → #1,140
  5. ↓ 311Nakia#893 → #1,204

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

boys

1,914,283 boys got a published name in 1988; 1 in 444 of them was named Ian, which outranked 99.1% of the 8,495 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 21.4% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Ian
  1. #74Evan4,337
  2. #75Luis4,333
  3. #76Donald4,328
  4. #77Ian4,315
  5. #78George4,296
  6. #79Ronald4,173
  7. #80Carlos4,127
Biggest movers since 1987
Risers
  1. ↑ 3,252Nico#4,239 → #987
  2. ↑ 1,245Ridge#2,215 → #970
  3. ↑ 668Colten#1,484 → #816
  4. ↑ 600Brantley#1,587 → #987
  5. ↑ 518Long#1,337 → #819
Fallers
  1. ↓ 362Cordaro#908 → #1,270
  2. ↓ 246Ramsey#884 → #1,130
  3. ↓ 241Yaakov#974 → #1,215
  4. ↓ 233Adrain#990 → #1,223
  5. ↓ 230Kiel#846 → #1,076

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

See the top 100 for 1988 →