Ian

See also ían, iän, -ían, and -ian

English

Alternative forms

• Iain

Pronunciation

• IPA: /iːən/

Etymology

An anglicisation of Eóin, the Gaelic equivalent of the name John. The name originated in Ireland, and was taken from there to Scotland, where the modern form Iain co-exists with it. In Ireland it was largely supplanted by the later forms Seaan, Seón, and Seóan, of which the modern form is Seán (anglicised as Sean).

Proper noun

Ian

1. A male given name.
   • 1975, Robertson Davies, World of Wonders, ISBN 0670817902, page 736

     “If you want a Scotch name why don’t you call him Jock?” Macgregor looked disgusted. “Because Jock is not a name, but a diminutive, as everybody knows well. It is the diminutive of John. And John is not a Scots name. The Scots form of that name is Ian. If you want to call him Ian Fetch, I shall say no more.”

Translations

male given name

• Latvian: (transliteration) Jans (lv) m

• Russian: Ян (ru) (Jan)

References

• Concerning the names Iain, Ian, and Eoin by Josh Mittleman

Anagrams

• ani, ANI
• ina, Ina
• NIA