Iain is a boy name with a rare feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Iain means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Iain across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Iain has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Iain is a boy name of Hebrew origin meaning “God is gracious”. A Scottish Gaelic form of John.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 2,911 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 513 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 7,199 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 18 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 274 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Iain per year, Scotland (1974 to 2025). Scotland peaked in 1979 (392/yr) · United States peaked in 2003 (126/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 1996 (76/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1995 (13/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 1998 (5/yr).
Iain is an uncommon baby name in the United States. It was most common in 2003, when it ranked #2,706 nationally (given to 185 babies that year).
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