Meaning & origin
A reliable meaning for In isn’t established in our sources yet. Rather than guess, we show what is recorded: how the name is used, how often, and the names it’s connected to.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1954. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
In through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 26
- 5 boys · 21 girls
- Most popular year
- 1956
- 6 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- —
- Too few births to compare
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for boys is 5 in 1992. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 3,499 as a first name in 2020; 1,734 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
In’s family of names
In Japanese usage, In as a surname is a Roman-alphabet rendering of 因.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: across languages.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 4
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named In
- Hwangbo Inpolitician1387–1453
- Kim InSouth Korean Go player (1943–2021)
- Prince Euneonprince of Joseon, son of Crown Prince Sado1754–1801
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love In, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Gwynn
“a handsome man; one who is fair”
>99% girls
Lynn
“a man of the lake”
18% boys · 82% girls
Gwyn
“one who is blessed with happiness” · “a handsome man; one who is fair”
>99% girls
Ann
“he (God) has favoured me (i.e. with a child)” · “a woman graced with God's favor”
>99% girls
Ilene
“the light-bearer; from the green meadow”
>99% girls
Yvonne
“a young archer”
>99% girls
Joycelyn
>99% girls
Dinah
“(female) judge” · “judgment”
>99% girls