Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 2003

Iain

Meaning From Scottish Gaelic Gender Boy Rank 2025 #7,357

From Scottish Gaelic. Cognate of John; see there for more.

Rank 2025
#7,357
among boys · ↓3,113 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
11
named Iain · -56% vs 2024
How common
1 in 155,280
boys born in 2025
Peak year
2003
126 babies
All-time total
2,911
#2,585 all-time among boys
First recorded
1953
in Social Security records

Iain popularity over time

2,911 babies have been named Iain since 1953, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.020.040.060.0818801900192019401960198020002020Peak 2003Boys

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Boys Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – –
1890s – – – –
1900s – – – –
1910s – – – –
1920s – – – –
1930s – – – –
1940s – – – –
1950s 16 2 – #3,597
1960s 112 11 +600% #1,785
1970s 157 16 +40% #2,088
1980s 320 32 +104% #1,472
1990s 618 62 +93% #1,281
2000s 1,011 101 +64% #1,181
2010s 522 52 -48% #1,991
2020s (to 2025) 155 26 -51% #2,740

The story of Iain

Iain is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #7,357 in 2025 with 11 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1953, 2,911 American babies have been named Iain. Its peak came in 2003, when 126 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 2000s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Iain stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Iain?

The median living Iain is about 23 years old; half are between 16 and 32. An estimated 2,800 people named Iain are alive in the United States today.

median 23 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Iain year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Boys Boys rank
2025 11 #7,357
2024 25 #4,244
2023 24 #4,387
2022 27 #4,029
2021 23 #4,420
2020 45 #2,740
2019 43 #2,873
2018 38 #3,067
2017 35 #3,269
2016 44 #2,740
2015 50 #2,501
2014 59 #2,261
2013 48 #2,545
2012 69 #2,020
2011 69 #1,991
2010 67 #2,046
2009 95 #1,658
2008 79 #1,847
2007 85 #1,750
2006 90 #1,607
2005 106 #1,405
2004 124 #1,226
2003 126 #1,181
2002 113 #1,218
2001 98 #1,329
2000 95 #1,344
1995 63 #1,519
1990 29 #2,397
1985 29 #1,987
1980 16 #2,879
1975 15 #2,684
1970 19 #2,088
1965 14 #2,216
1960 8 #3,193
1955 – –
1950 – –
1945 – –
1940 – –
1935 – –
1930 – –
1925 – –
1920 – –
1915 – –
1910 – –
1905 – –
1900 – –
1895 – –
1890 – –
1885 – –
1880 – –

Famous people named Iain

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Iain Armitage Iain Armitage American actor (born 2008) Contemporary
  2. 2 Iain Glen Iain Glen Scottish actor (born 1961) Contemporary
  3. 3 Iain Banks Iain Banks Scottish writer (1954–2013) Contemporary
  4. 4 Iain De Caestecker Iain De Caestecker Scottish actor b. 1987 · Contemporary
  5. 5 Iain Duncan Smith Iain Duncan Smith British politician (born 1954) Contemporary
  6. 6 Iain Pears Iain Pears English art historian, novelist and journalist b. 1955 · Contemporary
  7. 7 Iain Turner Iain Turner Scottish footballer and coach (born 1984) Contemporary
  8. 8 Iain Percy British sailor b. 1976 · Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Iain, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Iain?

The median living Iain is about 23 years old. Half of all living Iains are between 16 and 32 years old.

How many people named Iain are alive today?

An estimated 2,800 people named Iain are alive in the United States, based on 2,911 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Iain mean?

From Scottish Gaelic. Cognate of John; see there for more.

How popular is the name Iain in 2025?

Iain ranked #7,357 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 11 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Iain?

2,911 babies have been named Iain in the United States since 1953, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Iain most popular?

Iain peaked in 2003, when 126 newborns received the name.

Is Iain a boy or girl name?

Iain is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Iain rising or falling?

Iain is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Iain?

Well-known people named Iain include Iain Armitage (actor), Iain Glen (actor), Iain Banks (writer).

Names like Iain

Names that sound and feel close to Iain: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Iain with similar names → More names starting with I →