Rising since 2005, #6,143 for boys today.
Popularity of Ion since 1928
Babies named Ion per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1920s | 5 |
| 1930s | 0 |
| 1940s | 0 |
| 1950s | 0 |
| 1960s | 17 |
| 1970s | 31 |
| 1980s | 20 |
| 1990s | 40 |
| 2000s | 50 |
| 2010s | 87 |
| 2020s | 64 |
Meaning & origin
Ion has been in use in the United States since at least 1928, though it remains rare. Its popularity has been rising since 2005, with a recent peak in 2023, when it ranked 6143 and was given to about 1 in every 122,005 boys. The name is the Romanian form of John, but its roots trace back to Greek mythology. While it does not appear in top state rankings, its steady upward trajectory suggests growing interest in this concise, cross-cultural name.
Ion is a Romanian form of the Greek name Ion, which is the name of a mythological figure, the ancestor of the Ionians. The name may also be connected to the Greek word 'ion' for violet. It has been widely used in Romania, often as a baptismal name.
“Ion” around the world
Where Ion lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
5
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Ionica, Ionuț
Sibling names for Ion
Names that share Ion's style, for a brother or sister.
