Ian

From Naming Names

Ian is a male given name of Scottish Gaelic origin.

[edit] Etymology

See also the more common English equivalent, John.

Ian is a modern Scottish variant of the more traditional Iain, from Eoin, the old Gaelic form of the Hebrew name יוֹחָנָן (Yochanan), which originally meant "God is gracious."

[edit] History

The name Ian was coined in the 19th century and remained exclusive to Scotland untill it began to spread throughout the English-speaking world during the twentieth century as Gaelic and Celtic names gained popularity.