boy's name
Ethan
EE-thun
- Origin Hebrew
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 5
- Popularity Top 100 (US)
- Births on record 705,745
the United States
#24
2025 births
Ethan is a boy's name of Hebrew origin meaning "firm," "enduring," or "strong." It appears in the Hebrew Bible as Ethan the Ezrahite, named in the Books of Kings as a man of great wisdom and credited in the Psalms as the author of Psalm 89.
- Ethan is a name of Hebrew origin.
- Peaked in 2004, when 22,336 babies were given the name.
- It has been falling over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 422 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1882.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Ethan over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 30 |
| 1890s | 31 |
| 1900s | 17 |
| 1910s | 184 |
| 1920s | 233 |
| 1930s | 225 |
| 1940s | 254 |
| 1950s | 553 |
| 1960s | 1,601 |
| 1970s | 5,301 |
| 1980s | 10,525 |
| 1990s | 67,058 |
| 2000s | 202,208 |
| 2010s | 149,276 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 50,648 |
What Ethan means
Ethan means firm, solid, or enduring, from the Hebrew eitan, a word used of things that last — including a stream that flows year-round rather than drying up seasonally. The sense is permanence rather than physical strength.
Where Ethan comes from
Ethan comes from the Hebrew Eitan, meaning firm, enduring, or perennial. The word is used in the Hebrew Bible for a watercourse that does not run dry, giving the name a connotation of constancy. Ethan the Ezrahite is named in First Kings as a byword for wisdom, measured against Solomon, and the heading of Psalm 89 attributes it to him. The name saw little use in England but was taken up by Puritan settlers in America, where Ethan Allen, a leader of the Green Mountain Boys during the American Revolution, became its best-known bearer. It has grown substantially in English-speaking countries in recent decades.
How popular is Ethan?
In 2025, Ethan was given to 7,859 babies in the United States, ranking #24 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Where Ethan is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
How Ethan is spelled
Birth registers count each spelling separately, so every one has its own ranking.
| Spelling | What it is | Births on record |
|---|---|---|
| Éthan | Éthan is Ethan written with an acute accent, used in France, where it ranks #504. | 2,440 |
| Ethân | Ethân is a rare spelling of Ethan, written with a circumflex and recorded about 30 times, mostly in France. | 30 |
| Éthân | Éthân is a rare spelling of Ethan, written with an acute accent and recorded about 5 times, mostly in France. | 5 |
| Ethän | Ethän is a rare spelling of Ethan, written with a diaeresis and recorded about 5 times, mostly in France. | 5 |
Names that peaked alongside Ethan
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Ethan also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Ethan over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Ethan in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Ethan
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Ethan — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Ethan
What does the name Ethan mean?
Ethan means "firm" or "enduring," from the Hebrew eitan.
Is Ethan a biblical name?
Yes. Ethan the Ezrahite is named in First Kings as a man of great wisdom.
Is Ethan an American name?
It is Hebrew in origin, but it took hold in America through Puritan settlers and the revolutionary figure Ethan Allen.
How popular is the name Ethan?
In 2025, Ethan was given to 7,859 babies in the United States, ranking #24 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Is Ethan a girl's or a boy's name?
Ethan is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Ethan?
Ethan has 2 syllables.
When was Ethan most popular?
Ethan peaked in 2004, when 22,336 babies were given the name. It has been falling over the past decade.
Is Ethan a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Ethan currently ranks #15 in the United States. It has been falling over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.