Ethan
Ethan was the 24th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 7,852 babies. Its best year was 2009, when it ranked 2nd; the most babies were born in 2004 (22,210). Over the last ten years it has moved down 18 places. More babies were named Ethan in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Meaning firm, enduring · Hebrew
Say it EE-thun /ˈiθən/
- Rank in 2025
- #24 boys, down 11 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 7,852boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 200422,210 babies
- Total since 1880
- 488,144babies recorded
What does the name Ethan mean?
Ethan comes from the Hebrew name Eitan, from a word meaning 'firm' or 'enduring'. In the Bible, Ethan the Ezrahite was a wise man named in 1 Kings 4:31 and in the title of Psalm 89. Wiktionary calls it a mostly American name since the 18th century.
אֵיתָן (Biblical Hebrew, “ʾEitan: firmness, strong, long-lived”)
How sure is this? Well established.
See also: Hebrew names, names that mean strength.
Ethan popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 755 since 1983, 7 in 2025.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #24 | 7,852 |
| 2020 | #13 | 9,556 |
| 2010 | #2 | 18,020 |
| 2000 | #25 | 15,226 |
| 1990 | #58 | 6,989 |
| 1980 | #291 | 706 |
| 1970 | #495 | 268 |
| 1960 | #791 | 94 |
| 1950 | #1,443 | 26 |
| 1940 | #1,700 | 17 |
| 1930 | #1,713 | 19 |
| 1920 | #1,304 | 31 |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Ethan, counting every spelling?
Ethan is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #29 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #24 for Ethan on its own. Together these spellings went to 7,875 boys in 2025.
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Ethan?
7,852 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Ethan (2.18 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Ethan born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is about 1 in 25. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 1 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Ethan.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Ethan?
About 478,000 people born in the US named Ethan are alive today, with a median age of 19; half are between 12 and 24. That makes Ethan mostly worn by children and young adults.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Ethan by state
How common Ethan was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in District of Columbia (2.1×), Hawaii (1.7×), New Jersey (1.7×), Connecticut (1.7×), Rhode Island (1.7×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in Wyoming, Vermont, Mississippi.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Ethan: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Ethan, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Ethan · Sibling names for Ethan
Questions about the name Ethan
What does Ethan mean?
Ethan means “firm, enduring” (Hebrew origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Ethan?
Ethan was the 24th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 7,852 babies. Its best year was 2009, when it ranked 2nd; the most babies were born in 2004 (22,210). Over the last ten years it has moved down 18 places. More babies were named Ethan in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Is Ethan a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Ethan in the US.
Where is Ethan most popular?
In 2021–2025, Ethan was most common in District of Columbia (9.96 per 1,000 boys), followed by Hawaii and New Jersey.