Ethan
From Biblical Hebrew אֵיתָן (ʾêṯān, literally “firmness, strong, or long-lived”).
Every Ethan since 1882 — 488,144 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Ethan
Ethan is a top-50 name for boys in the United States, ranked #24 in 2025 with 7,852 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1882, 488,144 American babies have been named Ethan. Its peak came in 2004, when 22,336 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2000s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Ethan stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Ethan year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 7 | #12,303 | 7,852 | #24 |
| 2024 | 9 | #10,535 | 8,201 | #19 |
| 2023 | 7 | #12,549 | 7,810 | #24 |
| 2022 | 10 | #9,923 | 8,312 | #21 |
| 2021 | 12 | #8,649 | 8,863 | #20 |
| 2020 | 9 | #10,534 | 9,556 | #13 |
| 2019 | 13 | #8,271 | 11,311 | #11 |
| 2018 | 12 | #8,789 | 11,931 | #12 |
| 2017 | 9 | #10,976 | 12,483 | #14 |
| 2016 | 14 | #8,133 | 13,855 | #10 |
| 2015 | 18 | #6,818 | 15,103 | #6 |
| 2014 | 19 | #6,529 | 15,749 | #6 |
| 2013 | 17 | #7,155 | 16,260 | #6 |
| 2012 | 22 | #5,973 | 17,697 | #3 |
| 2011 | 22 | #6,003 | 16,702 | #7 |
| 2010 | 19 | #6,731 | 18,020 | #2 |
| 2009 | 24 | #5,766 | 19,858 | #2 |
| 2008 | 36 | #4,300 | 20,223 | #3 |
| 2007 | 17 | #7,495 | 21,041 | #3 |
| 2006 | 26 | #5,286 | 20,522 | #4 |
| 2005 | 36 | #3,975 | 21,318 | #5 |
| 2004 | 126 | #1,564 | 22,210 | #5 |
| 2003 | 29 | #4,456 | 21,362 | #7 |
| 2002 | 37 | #3,615 | 22,113 | #5 |
| 2001 | 21 | #5,427 | 17,962 | #17 |
| 2000 | 21 | #5,370 | 15,226 | #25 |
| 1995 | 11 | #7,682 | 4,934 | #75 |
| 1990 | 17 | #5,363 | 6,989 | #58 |
| 1985 | — | — | 670 | #307 |
| 1980 | — | — | 706 | #291 |
| 1975 | — | — | 541 | #327 |
| 1970 | — | — | 268 | #495 |
| 1965 | — | — | 183 | #564 |
| 1960 | — | — | 94 | #791 |
| 1955 | — | — | 53 | #1,038 |
| 1950 | — | — | 26 | #1,443 |
| 1945 | — | — | 21 | #1,461 |
| 1940 | — | — | 17 | #1,700 |
| 1935 | — | — | 25 | #1,371 |
| 1930 | — | — | 19 | #1,713 |
| 1925 | — | — | 17 | #1,955 |
| 1920 | — | — | 31 | #1,304 |
| 1915 | — | — | 27 | #1,278 |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Ethan
- Ethan Hawke Actor · b. 1970
- Ethan Allen Businessperson · 1738–1789
- Ethan Phillips Actor · b. 1955
- Ethan Suplee Actor · b. 1976
- Ethan Embry Actor · b. 1978
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Ethan mean?
From Biblical Hebrew אֵיתָן (ʾêṯān, literally “firmness, strong, or long-lived”).
How popular is the name Ethan in 2025?
Ethan ranked #24 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 7,852 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Ethan?
488,144 babies have been named Ethan in the United States since 1882, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Ethan most popular?
Ethan peaked in 2004, when 22,336 newborns received the name.
Is Ethan a boy or girl name?
Ethan is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Ethan rising or falling?
Ethan is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Ethan?
Well-known people named Ethan include Ethan Hawke (actor), Ethan Allen (businessperson), Ethan Phillips (actor).