Total births
257,664
Boys' name · since 1912
Ian
Ian has 257,664 recorded births since 1912 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2005 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #74
- among boys today
- 257,664
- born since 1912
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 99.5%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Ian is the #74 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 257,664 recorded since 1912.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Ian has been recorded 257,664 times among boys since 1912, currently ranked #74 nationally and more common than 99.5% 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 1912 to 2025.
- #74 among boys today
- 257,664 born since 1912
- 2000s peak decade
- 99.5% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Ian is currently the #74 boys' name in America, more common than 99.5% of boys - 257,664 born since 1912, peaking in the 2000s.
- #74
- among boys today
- 257,664
- born since 1912
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 99.5%
- more common than other boys
Ian vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#74
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 99.5% of names given to boys today.
2000s
Peak decade
24% of everyone ever named Ian was born in this single decade.
2005
Single peak year
6,688 babies were named Ian in 2005 - its busiest year on record.
How Ian compares
257,664 Top 1% higher than 99% of 14,294 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
Ian's all-time total is 702x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Ian | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 257,664 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 6,688 | 23 | 22,252 |
Ian's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Ian splits its recorded history at 1969: 97% of all births land in the more recent half, 3% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1912 (6 births) -- compare that against the 2005 peak of 6,688 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Ian at a glance
Top 100 boys' namePeak year
2005
Current rank
#74
Active since
1912
Ian popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1912–2025
- Peak year (2005)
- 6,688
- Annual births at peak, across 114 years of records
Ian popularity over time - girls
815 total births recorded since 1940 (Ian as girls' name)
Ian by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Ian's strongest decade.
61,925 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 24% of all-time use.
Ian births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 92
1910s
92 births
- 1920s 225
1920s
225 births
- 1930s 445
1930s
445 births
- 1940s 779
1940s
779 births
- 1950s 1,670
1950s
1,670 births
- 1960s 4,977
1960s
4,977 births
- 1970s 17,186
1970s
17,186 births
- 1980s
1980s
37,770 births
- 1990s
1990s
54,007 births
- 2000s
2000s
61,925 births
- 2010s
2010s
52,475 births
- 2020s
2020s
26,113 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 61,925 births (24% of all-time use).
How Ian 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 Ian's total volume
Ian vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Ian by state
Where Ian concentrates geographically, total births since 1912
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 35,215 | 13.7% |
| #2 | Texas | | 21,364 | 8.3% |
| #3 | New York | | 17,798 | 6.9% |
| #4 | Florida | | 12,389 | 4.8% |
| #5 | Pennsylvania | | 12,235 | 4.7% |
| #6 | Ohio | | 10,460 | 4.1% |
| #7 | Illinois | | 10,236 | 4.0% |
| #8 | Michigan | | 8,693 | 3.4% |
California share of Ian's total US births 13.7%
Even split
35,215 of 257,664 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 51 reporting states.
Ian appears in 51 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Ian? ▼
Since 1912, Social Security records show 257,664 babies named Ian. Today it holds rank #74 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 2005, with 6,688 births.
When was Ian most popular? ▼
Ian was most popular in the 2000s decade with 61,925 total births. The single peak year was 2005.
Where is Ian most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Ian are California (35,215 births), Texas (21,364 births), New York (17,798 births).
How long has the name Ian been used? ▼
Ian has been recorded in Social Security data since 1912, spanning 114 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Ian? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Iann, Ianmichael, Iancarlo, Ianto, and 2 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Ian's data
- Ian's usage has stayed within range of its 2000s decade-level peak (61,925 total births) through the 2020s (26,113) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Ians (35,215 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Ian
Nearby Names Like Ian
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Ian
Iann Boy
#5546 591 births
Ianmichael Boy
64 births
Iancarlo Boy
32 births
Ianto Boy
12 births
Ianis Boy
6 births
Compare Ian side by side: Ian vs Iann Ian vs Ianmichael Ian vs Iancarlo
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Ian
Data Sources
Data as of June 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, 1912–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Ian: #74 Boys' Name - 257,664 Births, Peak 2005." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/ian. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
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 Ian 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 June 2026.