UK boy's name
Eathan
A masculine name derived from the Gaelic "áodh" meaning fire or radiant one.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2017. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Eathan is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Eathan popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2017 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3996, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1998, with 17 births.
This profile covers 166 England and Wales registrations across 19 recorded years from 1996 to 2017. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NISRA Northern Ireland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 24% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 167 living people in the UK are called Eathan. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2018 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Eathan ranked #3996 for boys in England and Wales in 2017, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1998, when 17 boys were registered as Eathan.
- • Eathan ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #305 in 2004.
- • About 167 living people in the UK are estimated to have Eathan as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3996
2017
Births in 2017
4
Latest year
Peak year
1998
17 births
Estimated living
167
2026
Meaning
What does Eathan mean?
The name Eathan is a relatively modern form of the traditional Irish name Ethan, which itself derives from the Hebrew name Eitan, meaning "solid" or "enduring." While the origins of this name can be traced back to ancient Hebrew texts, the specific spelling variation of Eathan emerged in the late 20th century, likely as a creative adaptation of the more common Ethan.
In terms of historical references, the name Ethan appears in the Old Testament of the Bible as the name of a wise man who lived during the reign of King Solomon. This Ethan is described as being "wiser than Ezrah the Ezrahite and Heman, Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol" (1 Kings 4:31). Additionally, the Book of Chronicles mentions an Ethan who was a Levite and a musician in the temple of Jerusalem.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Ethan in its traditional spelling can be found in the 17th century. Ethan Allen (1738-1789) was an American Revolutionary War patriot and leader of the Green Mountain Boys, who famously captured Fort Ticonderoga from the British in 1775.
Another notable figure with the name Ethan was Ethan Frome (1857-1938), the protagonist of the classic novel of the same name by American writer Edith Wharton. Although a fictional character, Ethan Frome has become a literary icon representing the struggles of rural life in New England.
In the realm of cinema, Ethan Edwards, portrayed by John Wayne in the 1956 film "The Searchers," is a memorable and complex character whose name has become associated with the Western genre and its exploration of frontier life.
A more recent example is Ethan Hawke, the American actor and author born in 1970, who has starred in a wide range of films, including "Dead Poets Society," "Reality Bites," and "Before Sunrise." His portrayal of diverse characters has contributed to the enduring popularity of the name Ethan.
While the specific spelling variation of Eathan is relatively new and less common, it carries the same enduring legacy and historical significance as its traditional counterpart, Ethan. The name's timeless appeal and strong literary and cultural connections make it a distinctive and meaningful choice for parents seeking a name with depth and character.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Eathan over time
The chart below shows babies named Eathan registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2017. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Eathan, the clearest high point is 1998. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2017, compared with 17 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Eathan by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Eathan was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #3348 | 35 | 6 |
| 2000s | #2011 | 84 | 9 |
| 1990s | #1251 | 47 | 4 |
Geography
Where Eathan is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Eathan. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Eathan ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #305 in 2004.
Across the UK
Eathan in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#305 in 2004
1 years of NISRA records, 3 total registered
Related
Names similar to Eathan
- Ethan 77,394
- Edward 53,212
- Elliot 23,450
- Elijah 22,369
- Ellis 19,358
- Elliott 16,964
- Evan 14,535
- Ezra 11,838
- Ewan 10,685
- Eli 8,126
- Elias 7,049
- Eric 6,654
FAQ
Eathan: questions and answers
How popular is the name Eathan in the UK right now?
In 2017, Eathan was ranked #3996 for boys in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Eathan most popular?
The peak year on record was 1998, with 17 babies registered as Eathan in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Eathan?
A masculine name derived from the Gaelic "áodh" meaning fire or radiant one.
How many people are called Eathan in the UK?
A total of 166 babies have been registered as Eathan across the 19 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here and 3 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Eathan most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Eathan ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #305 in 2004. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.