Given name & surname
Ion
“of the tree”·“resembling a lotus blossom”·“God is gracious”
Ion is a variant of Ilan. One Hebrew interpretation is “of the tree.” Ion has an alternative spelling in Yon. One Korean interpretation is “resembling a lotus blossom.”
Original Ancient GreekἸωάννης
Meaning & origin
What it means
Ion is a variant of Ilan. One Hebrew interpretation is “of the tree.” Ion has an alternative spelling in Yon. One Korean interpretation is “resembling a lotus blossom.” In Basque use, Ion shares an earlier linguistic root with John. The traditional meaning is “God is gracious.” It belongs to the Hebrew name Johanan, which predates the shorter English form.
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Greek.
How it developed
In Romanian usage, Ion developed from Ἰωάννης. In Basque use, Ion shares an earlier linguistic root with John. The shared background comes through John: Greek Iōannēs represents a contracted form of Johanan; Latin used Johannes, and English developed John. The different language forms preserve the name family without all sharing the same spelling or pronunciation.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
The story
In mythological stories, Ion is associated with the son of Apollo.
Ion through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 314
- 314 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 2023
- 15 babies
- 2025
- 14
- #6,250 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +2%
- Steady
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 14 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 6,250 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 2.0% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,714 as a first name in 2020; 649 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.
Ion’s family of names
In Romanian usage, Ion has a diminutive in IONEL. Ion shares a linguistic root with John. In Basque usage, Ion has a conventional equivalent in the Spanish form Juan.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Ion has relatives in 8 languages. Lines run from its Ancient Greek roots to each of them.
Ancient Greekwhere Ion comes from · 1 name
Nicknames & forms 11
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Ilanvariant
- Johannesvariant · German
- Ionevariant
- Ioanvariant · Romanian
- Ilicinickname
- Ioneldiminutive · Romanian
- Neludiminutive · Romanian
- Ionuțdiminutive · Romanian
Show 3 moreShow fewer
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 63
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Ἰωάννηςroot · Ancient Greek
- Jackequivalent
- Johncognate · English
- Ianequivalent
- Giovanniequivalent
- Evanequivalent
- Ivanequivalent
- JuanSpanish
Show 52 moreShow fewer
- Gianniequivalent
- Johnnyequivalent
- Seanequivalent
- Johanequivalent
- Joanequivalent
- JeanFrench
- Gianequivalent
- HansGerman
- Joaoequivalent
- Giannisequivalent
- JohannGerman
- JanCzech
- Yannisequivalent
- Ioannisequivalent
- Yanniequivalent
- Yiannisequivalent
- Yannequivalent
- Ivoequivalent
- Yvanequivalent
- Giovanequivalent
- Jehanequivalent
- Jaanequivalent
- Ioanafeminine form
- Hannesequivalent
- Hannsequivalent
- Iwanequivalent
- Ieuanequivalent
- Ivanoequivalent
- Jóhanequivalent
- Joãoequivalent
- Іванequivalent
- Siônequivalent
- Erwannequivalent
- Xoánequivalent
- Ifanequivalent
- Ioannequivalent
- Joannesequivalent
- Giuànequivalent
- Jónequivalent
- Иванequivalent
- Seánequivalent
- Iwoequivalent
- Янкаequivalent
- Johannèsequivalent
- Honzaequivalent
- Jóhannesequivalent
- Jankaequivalent
- Jógvanequivalent
- Иоаннequivalent
- Ivánequivalent
- ジョンJapanese
- Yankaequivalent
And 3 more.
People named Ion
- Ion IliescuPresident of Romania (1990–1996; 2000–2004)1930–2025
- Ion Antonescuprime minister of Romania during World War II; self-proclaimed "Leader" of the Romanian state between 1940–1944, executed for war crimes (1882–1946)
- Ion Luca CaragialeRomanian playwright, writer and poet (1852-1912)
- Marcel CiolacuRomanian politicianborn 1967
- Ion CreangăRomanian writer, raconteur and schoolteacher (1837–1889)
- Ion Gheorghe Maurer49th Prime Minister of Romania (1961-1974)1902–2000
- Ion ChicuMoldovan politicianborn 1972
- Ion C. BrătianuRomanian politician (1821–1891)
- Ion I. C. BrătianuRomanian politician (1864–1927)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
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