Ison

♂ Boy

Pronounced EYE-suhn /ˈaɪ.sən/Low

Meaning: Ison is best read as a transferred English surname, most likely a patronymic, 'son of' an ancestor whose name began with an I- sound, such as a short form of Isaac. Some families may also connect it to the Greek Iesous through devotional use, but the plain surname route is the safest reading, and it carries no single settled meaning as a first name.Low

In 30 seconds: Ison is an English surname turned first name, most likely a patronymic meaning son of an I- named ancestor. It stayed rare and appeared from the early nineteen-hundreds on (said EYE-suhn).

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Origin LowEnglish

MeaningIson is best read as a transferred English surname, most likely a patronymic, 'son of' an ancestor whose name began with an I- sound, such as a short form of Isaac. Some families may also connect it to the Greek Iesous through devotional use, but the plain surname route is the safest reading, and it carries no single settled meaning as a first name.

U.S. rank (2020)#12816 ↘ Falling

2020 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2013

Total births (all-time)≈ 108

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

Ison is most soundly explained as a transferred English surname, a patronymic formed from a short I- name plus 'son.' It appears as a family name in Britain and in the American South, and its jump to a given name follows the long habit of turning surnames into first names. A devotional link to the Greek Iesous is sometimes suggested, but we do not lean on it; the name's meaning stays tied to its surname roots.

Ison was always rare as a first name, given to only about twenty boys a year at its thin peak around 2013, though scattered records reach back to the nineteen-twenties. A boy named Ison at that recent peak is barely a teenager today.

Did you know? Ison is a real Appalachian and southern surname, which is one likely path by which it moved from a last name to an occasional first name for boys.

Overall data confidence 30%

References - Ison — English patronymic surname; possible I-name + 'son'; Iesous link noted but not relied on

Variations

IsomIsesonIves

Nicknames

IkeSonny

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Ison…

Isom— a close cousin surname of the same family

Mason— a like -son surname used for boys

Carson— another transferred -son surname name

Emerson— a similar surname-name in modern use

Explore names like Ison

By themerare english patronymic surname

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Ison mean?

It is most likely an English surname meaning 'son of' an ancestor with an I- name, used as a first name.

How do you pronounce Ison?

It is commonly said EYE-suhn /ˈaɪ.sən/, two syllables with the stress on the first.

Is Ison a boy or girl name?

Ison is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Ison?

It has always been rare, given to only about twenty boys a year at its peak in the early twenty-tens.