Boys' name · since 1953
Iain
Since 1953, U.S. Social Security records show 2,911 babies named Iain, peaking in 2003. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #2,585 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #7,278 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 2,911
- born since 1953
- 2000s
- peak decade
Yes -- Iain is the #7278 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 2,911 recorded since 1953.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Iain has been recorded 2,911 times among boys since 1953, currently ranked #7278 nationally and more common than 48% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 2000s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1953 to 2025.
- #2,585 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- #7,278 of 13,930 2025 SSA year
- 2,911 born since 1953
- 2000s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Iain ranks #2,585 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first) and #7,278 of 13,930 among boys' names in 2025. 2,911 born since 1953, peaking in the 2000s.
- #2,585 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #7,278 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 2,911
- born since 1953
- 2000s
- peak decade
Iain's 2,911 recorded births place it above 94.31% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
21 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by California.
How Iain compares
2,911 Top 18% higher than 82% of 13,930 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Iain's all-time total is 8x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Iain | Median boys name (Takari) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 2,911 | 369 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 126 | 34 | 22,252 |
Iain's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Iain's SSA record in two at 1991 and the more recent half accounts for 78% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 22%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1956, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2003 peak of 126, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Iain popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1953–2025
- Peak year (2003)
- 126
- Annual births at peak, across 73 years of records
Iain by decade
2000s is the heaviest window (1,011 births, 35% of the file).
2000s was Iain's strongest decade.
1,011 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 35% of all-time use.
Iain births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1950s 16
1950s
16 births
- 1960s 112
1960s
112 births
- 1970s 157
1970s
157 births
- 1980s 320
1980s
320 births
- 1990s
1990s
618 births
- 2000s
2000s
1,011 births
- 2010s
2010s
522 births
- 2020s 155
2020s
155 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 1,011 births (35% of all-time use).
How Iain compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Iain's total volume
Iain by state
Where Iain concentrates geographically, total births since 1953
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 323 | 11.1% |
| #2 | Texas | | 156 | 5.4% |
| #3 | New York | | 86 | 3.0% |
| #4 | Virginia | | 51 | 1.8% |
| #5 | Washington | | 39 | 1.3% |
| #6 | Michigan | | 33 | 1.1% |
| #7 | Colorado | | 24 | 0.8% |
| #8 | Massachusetts | | 24 | 0.8% |
323 of 2,911 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 21 reporting states.
Iain appears in 21 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Iain? ▼
Where does Iain sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Iain most popular? ▼
Where is Iain most popular? ▼
How long has the name Iain been used? ▼
What to do with Iain's data
- Iain's decade-level peak was the 2000s (1,011 total births); usage has since declined to 155 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Iains (323 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Iain
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Iain
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Iain: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~2003)
Similar record span (~72 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1953–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Iain draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.