UK boy's name
Ion
Greek origin meaning "going forth, travelling".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Ion is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Ion popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2263, with 10 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2019, with 16 births.
This profile covers 119 England and Wales registrations across 16 recorded years from 2002 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, 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 63% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 118 living people in the UK are called Ion. 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 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Ion ranked #2263 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 10 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2019, when 16 boys were registered as Ion.
- • About 118 living people in the UK are estimated to have Ion as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#2263
2024
Births in 2024
10
Latest year
Peak year
2019
16 births
Estimated living
118
2026
Meaning
What does Ion mean?
The name Ion has its origins in ancient Greek language and culture, dating back to the classical period of ancient Greece. It is derived from the Greek word "ion," which means "violet flower" or "purple."
In Greek mythology, Ion was the name of a legendary character who was the son of Apollo and Creusa, the daughter of the king of Athens. The story of Ion is told in Euripides' play of the same name, which was written around 414 BCE.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Ion can be found in the works of ancient Greek historians and philosophers, such as Herodotus and Plato, who lived in the 5th century BCE. In Plato's dialogue "Ion," the character Ion is a rhapsode, or a professional reciter of poetry.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals named Ion. One of the most famous was Ion of Chios, a Greek poet and tragedian who lived in the 5th century BCE. He was known for his tragedies, although only fragments of his work have survived.
Another notable Ion was Ion of Ephesus, a Greek sculptor who lived in the 5th century BCE. He was known for his sculptures of Athena and was considered one of the greatest sculptors of his time.
In the 4th century BCE, Ion of Samos was a Greek philosopher and mathematician who made significant contributions to the study of geometry and optics.
During the Byzantine era, Ion Damascenus was a Greek rhetor and philosopher who lived in the 7th century CE. He was known for his works on philosophy and rhetoric, and his writings were influential in the development of Byzantine literature.
In the 19th century, Ion Ghica was a Romanian prince and diplomat who served as the Prime Minister of Romania from 1866 to 1867. He was known for his efforts to modernize and westernize Romania.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Ion over time
The chart below shows babies named Ion registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2002 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Ion, the clearest high point is 2019. The latest England and Wales figure is 10 births in 2024, compared with 16 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Ion by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Ion 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #2510 | 46 | 5 |
| 2010s | #3136 | 62 | 8 |
| 2000s | #3571 | 11 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Ion
- Isaac 49,129
- Ibrahim 14,115
- Ismail 4,679
- Isaiah 4,629
- Idris 3,810
- Ivan 3,146
- Isa 2,943
- Ian 2,805
- Ilyas 2,552
- Ieuan 2,515
- Ibraheem 2,384
- Ioan 2,295
FAQ
Ion: questions and answers
How popular is the name Ion in the UK right now?
In 2024, Ion was ranked #2263 for boys in England and Wales, with 10 births registered.
When was Ion most popular?
The peak year on record was 2019, with 16 babies registered as Ion in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Ion?
Greek origin meaning "going forth, travelling".
How many people are called Ion in the UK?
A total of 119 babies have been registered as Ion across the 16 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
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.