Iain

♂ Boy

Pronounced EE-ən /ˈi.ən/Medium

Meaning: Scottish Gaelic form of John — from Hebrew Yochanan, 'God is gracious'High

In 30 seconds: The Scottish John, classic: Iain is the Gaelic Ian — 'God is gracious'. Handsome, timeless, and Highland-proud.

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Origin HighScottish, Hebrew

MeaningScottish Gaelic form of John — from Hebrew Yochanan, 'God is gracious'

U.S. rank (2025)#7357 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births11 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2003

Total births (all-time)≈ 2,910

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Iain is the Scottish Gaelic form of John — from Hebrew Yochanan, 'God is gracious'. The traditional spelling (with the extra i) of Ian, it's a handsome, timeless Highland classic.

In the U.S. it appears in Scottish families. Rare, God-is-gracious at the root, and timeless.

Did you know? Iain is the traditional Scottish Gaelic spelling of Ian — itself the Scots form of John, 'God is gracious'; handsome and authentically Highland.

Overall data confidence 85%

Behind the Name — Iain — etymology

Variations

IanEoinIan

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

★Iain Glen (1961-)
Scottish actor known for playing Jorah Mormont in Game of Thrones
★Iain Banks (1954-2013)
Scottish author acclaimed for literary fiction and science fiction novels
★Iain Duncan Smith (1954-)
British Conservative politician and former leader of the Conservative Party
★Iain De Caestecker (1987-)
Scottish actor known for his role in Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

If you like Iain…

Ian— the standard spelling

Eoin— the Irish form

Callum— a companion Scottish classic

Kelvin— lands in the same popularity range

Efrain— a similarly popular pick

Explore names like Iain

By themehebrew scottish

By meaningGod / Divine Grace

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Iain mean?

Iain is the Scottish Gaelic John — 'God is gracious'.

How do you pronounce Iain?

It's said EE-ən /ˈi.ən/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Iain a boy or girl name?

Iain is a boy's name.

How popular is Iain?

Iain is a rare spelling in the U.S.; Ian is more common.