Ethan Boy

Popularity: #24 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: EE-thən /ˈiːθən/

Origin: Hebrew; English

Meaning: Hebrew: strong; English: firm

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Ethan has its roots in the Hebrew language, derived from the word 'אֵיתָן' (Eitan), which means "firm," "enduring," or "strong." This name appears in the Hebrew Bible, where it is associated with a wise man named Ethan the Ezrahite, mentioned in the Book of Kings and attributed authorship of Psalm 89. The name was later transliterated into Greek as 'Ethan' (Ἠθάν), and subsequently adopted into Latin, which helped facilitate its entry into various European languages, including Old French, before finally becoming established in English during the Middle Ages.

Ethan's historical significance is underscored by its biblical connections, particularly through the character of Ethan the Ezrahite, who is recognized for his wisdom and contributions to biblical literature. The name appears in significant religious texts, including the King James Bible, which was published in the early 17th century and has had a profound influence on English literature and culture.

The enduring nature of the name can also be traced to its representation of strength and resilience, qualities that have made it appealing across different cultures and eras. Culturally, Ethan has been associated with themes of stability and reliability, resonating with various traditions that value these attributes.

The name has been used in literature and popular culture, reinforcing its positive connotations. Additionally, diminutive forms such as Eithan have been noted in some cultures, though Ethan remains the most recognized form.

Overall, the name Ethan carries a rich historical and cultural legacy, reflecting its deep roots in language and tradition.

Famous people named Ethan

In this section, you will find notable people named Ethan. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Ethan who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Ethan who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Ethan Hawke is an actor best known for Before Sunrise, Training Day, and Boyhood.

Ethan Allen is a military officer best known for leading the Green Mountain Boys during the American Revolutionary War.

Ethan Coen is a filmmaker best known for Fargo, The Big Lebowski, and No Country for Old Men.

Ethan Embry is an actor best known for Can't Hardly Wait, Empire Records, and That Thing You Do!.

Ethan Slater is an actor best known for his role in SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical, and the film The Last Goodbye.

Fictional characters named Ethan

The following list of fictional characters named Ethan is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Ethan Hunt is a fictional character from the film series Mission: Impossible. He is a secret agent known for his daring missions and resourcefulness in overcoming obstacles.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Ethan, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

NoahLiamAidenCalebIsaacMason

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Ethan. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

EvanElijahEliasEamonEwanIanOwenAsher

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Ethan was first seen in the United States in 1882.

Ethan has ranked as high as #6 nationally, which occurred in 2004, and has been most popular in California, Texas, New York, Florida, and Ohio.

In the past 5 years the name Ethan has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Ethan is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Ethan was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Ethan.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 7,859 7,852 7
2024 8,210 8,201 9
2023 7,817 7,810 7
2022 8,322 8,312 10
2021 8,875 8,863 12
2020 9,565 9,556 9
2019 11,324 11,311 13
2018 11,943 11,931 12
2017 12,492 12,483 9
2016 13,869 13,855 14
2015 15,121 15,103 18
2014 15,768 15,749 19
2013 16,277 16,260 17
2012 17,719 17,697 22
2011 16,724 16,702 22
2010 18,039 18,020 19
2009 19,882 19,858 24
2008 20,259 20,223 36
2007 21,058 21,041 17
2006 20,548 20,522 26
2005 21,354 21,318 36
2004 22,336 22,210 126
2003 21,391 21,362 29
2002 22,150 22,113 37
2001 17,983 17,962 21
2000 15,247 15,226 21
1999 11,461 11,446 15
1998 10,550 10,536 14
1997 7,819 7,807 12
1996 5,860 5,853 7
1995 4,945 4,934 11
1994 4,182 4,166 16
1993 4,172 4,164 8
1992 4,919 4,906 13
1991 6,144 6,129 15
1990 7,006 6,989 17
1989 4,069 4,056 13
1988 896 896 0
1987 656 656 0
1986 607 598 9
1985 670 670 0
1984 733 728 5
1983 740 732 8
1982 713 713 0
1981 735 735 0
1980 706 706 0
1979 706 706 0
1978 627 627 0
1977 674 674 0
1976 563 563 0
1975 541 541 0
1974 525 525 0
1973 519 519 0
1972 513 513 0
1971 365 365 0
1970 268 268 0
1969 218 218 0
1968 169 169 0
1967 186 186 0
1966 169 169 0
1965 183 183 0
1964 202 202 0
1963 135 135 0
1962 132 132 0
1961 113 113 0
1960 94 94 0
1959 83 83 0
1958 73 73 0
1957 65 65 0
1956 62 62 0
1955 53 53 0
1954 64 64 0
1953 43 43 0
1952 52 52 0
1951 32 32 0
1950 26 26 0
1949 29 29 0
1948 29 29 0
1947 26 26 0
1946 27 27 0
1945 21 21 0
1944 28 28 0
1943 31 31 0
1942 21 21 0
1941 25 25 0
1940 17 17 0
1939 33 33 0
1938 20 20 0
1937 18 18 0
1936 23 23 0
1935 25 25 0
1934 20 20 0
1933 23 23 0
1932 19 19 0
1931 25 25 0
1930 19 19 0
1929 18 18 0
1928 25 25 0
1927 27 27 0
1926 27 27 0
1925 17 17 0
1924 14 14 0
1923 21 21 0
1922 27 27 0
1921 26 26 0
1920 31 31 0
1919 28 28 0
1918 25 25 0
1917 20 20 0
1916 23 23 0
1915 27 27 0
1914 25 25 0
1913 13 13 0
1912 16 16 0
1911 7 7 0
1909 6 6 0
1908 5 5 0
1901 6 6 0
1898 7 7 0
1896 9 9 0
1893 9 9 0
1891 6 6 0
1887 7 7 0
1886 6 6 0
1884 10 10 0
1882 7 7 0

Top States for Ethan (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 1,262
15%
TX 1,045
13%
NY 727
9%
FL 646
8%
NJ 339
4%
GA 271
3%
IL 266
3%
PA 265
3%
VA 233
3%
NC 219
3%
MA 205
3%
WA 195
2%
OH 180
2%
MD 175
2%
MI 141
2%
CO 135
2%
TN 134
2%
AZ 127
2%
IN 110
1%
CT 107
1%
MN 107
1%
UT 91
1%
KY 88
1%
WI 87
1%
AL 83
1%
MO 82
1%
OR 81
1%
SC 75
1%
LA 72
1%
OK 71
1%
NV 64
1%
KS 49
1%
IA 48
1%
AR 44
1%
ID 37
0%
DC 36
0%
NE 32
0%
MS 30
0%
RI 28
0%
NM 26
0%
NH 24
0%
DE 19
0%
HI 19
0%
ME 17
0%
WV 17
0%
ND 16
0%
MT 13
0%
AK 11
0%
SD 10
0%
WY 6
0%
VT 5
0%