Ion
Boy name · Celtic Gaelic · Greek · Irish · Romanian · Russian
MeaningGod is gracious · Romanian form of John
- US rank
- #6,143
- Syllables
- 1
- Peak
- #3,595 in 1969
14 babies were named Ion in the US in 2025. It has climbed 477 places in five years.
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million boys, 1928–2025
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Ion you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Ion
Ion Luca Caragiale
Romanian playwright, writer and poet (1852-1912)
Choose Ion and your child shares a first name with Ion Luca Caragiale, a Romanian playwright, writer and poet. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Ion, like who?” Ion Luca Caragiale's Wikipedia article is available in 47 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Ion Luca Caragiale on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: A. Duschek - Sinaia, Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 121,951 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Ion, 14 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Ion would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryIon first shows up in US birth records in 1928, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 97 years since.
- Best yearIts best year was 1969, when it reached #3,595.
- Then vs nowIon is 2.3× more common today than it was in 2000. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 277,778 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 121,951.
- TrendIon has climbed 477 places in the US rankings over the last five years and now sits at #6,143. Fast risers like this often keep climbing, so expect to hear it more.
- MeaningIon is a Romanian form of John, which means “God is gracious”. Our records link it to Celtic Gaelic, Greek and Irish roots.
About the name Ion
Ion is a boy name of Celtic Gaelic, Greek and Irish origin meaning “God is gracious”. It has 3 letters and 1 syllable, starting with I and ending in “-ion”. US birth records list Ion for boys from 1928 to 2025, in 42 of those 98 years. Its best year was 1969, when it ranked #3,595 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #6,143, with 14 babies.
Origin:Celtic Gaelic namesGreek namesIrish namesRomanian namesRussian names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 2.3 | 444,444 boys |
| 1960s | 1.0 | 1,041,667 boys |
| 1970s | 1.9 | 518,135 boys |
| 1980s | 1.1 | 900,901 boys |
| 1990s | 2.1 | 483,092 boys |
| 2000s | 2.5 | 400,000 boys |
| 2010s | 4.6 | 215,983 boys |
| 2020s | 6.2 | 161,290 boys |
More Celtic Gaelic boy names
- Boy name: Bowen · son of Owen
- Boy name: Malcolm · devotee of Saint Columba
- Boy name: Danny · God is my judge
- Boy name: Calum · dove
- Unisex name: Bowie · yellow-haired
- Boy name: Cian · ancient
- Unisex name: Naveen · new
- Boy name: Earl · nobleman
Questions about the name Ion
What does the name Ion mean?
Ion means “God is gracious” in Romanian, as a form of John.
What is the origin of the name Ion?
Ion has Celtic Gaelic, Greek, Irish, Romanian, Russian roots in our records. Other Celtic Gaelic names include Bowen, Malcolm, Danny.
Is Ion a boy or girl name?
Ion is a boy name.
How popular is the name Ion?
Ion ranked #6,143 for US boys in 2025, given to 14 babies. Its best year was 1969 (#3,595).