View source for Ian

{{About|a given name||Ian (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox given name
|name = Ian
|image =
|imagesize =
|caption =
|pronunciation = {{IPAc-en|ˈ|iː|ə|n}} {{respell|EE|ən}}<br />{{IPA|gd|ˈiaɲ|lang}}<ref>{{cite web|title=Dictionary Detail – Iain|url=http://www.faclair.com/ViewEntry.aspx?ID=6F471A33ACE4BA275289517E042246AC|website=www.faclair.com|access-date=21 February 2018}}</ref>
|gender = [[Male]]
|region =
|origin = Scottish Gaelic, from Hebrew [[Yohanan]]
|related names = [[John (given name)|John]], [[Evan]], [[Eoin]], [[Giovanni (name)|Giovanni]], [[Hans (name)|Hans]], [[Juan]], [[Hovhannes (disambiguation)|Hovhannes]], [[Ioan]], [[Ioane]], [[Ivan (name)|Ivan]], [[Iven (given name)|Iven]], [[Ifan (given name)|Ifan]], [[Jack (given name)|Jack]], [[Jackson (name)|Jackson]], [[Jan (name)|Jan]], [[Jane (given name)|Jane]], [[Janez (given name)|Janez]], [[Jean (male given name)|Jean]], [[Jhon (disambiguation)|Jhon]], [[Joan (given name)|Joan]], [[João]], [[Johan (given name)|Johan]]/[[Johann]], [[Johanan]], [[Johannes]], [[Jonne (name)|Jonne]], [[Jovan (given name)|Jovan]], [[Juhani]], [[Sean]], [[Shane (name)|Shane]], [[Siôn]], [[Yann]], [[Yahya (name)|Yahya]], [[Yohannes (given name)|Yohannes]]
|footnotes =
}}
'''Ian''' or '''Iain''' is a name of [[Scottish Gaelic]] origin, which is derived from the [[Hebrew]] [[given name]] {{Script/Hebrew|יוֹחָנָן}} ([[Yohanan]], ''{{transliteration|he|Yôḥānān}}'') and corresponds to the English name [[John (given name)|John]]. The spelling Ian is an Anglicization of the Scottish Gaelic forename ''Iain''. This name is a popular name in [[Scotland]], where it originated, as well as in other [[English-speaking world|English-speaking]] countries.

The name has fallen out of the top 100 male baby names in the United Kingdom, having peaked in popularity as one of the top 10 names throughout the 1960s.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.babynames.co.uk/meaning_origin_name_Ian.htm |title=Name: Ian |publisher=Baby Names UK |website=BabyNames.co.uk |access-date=2015-01-01}}</ref> In 1900, Ian ranked as the 180th most popular male baby name in England and Wales.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.britishbabynames.com/blog/2012/08/top-200-most-popular-names-in-england-and-wales-1900.html |title=Top 200 Most Popular Names in England and Wales in 1900 |publisher=British Baby Names |date=21 August 2012 |access-date=2015-01-01}}</ref> {{as of|2019}}, the name has been in the top 100 in the [[United States]] every year since 1982, peaking at 65 in 2003.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ssa.gov/cgi-bin/babyname.cgi|title=Popular Baby Names|publisher=Social Security Administration|access-date=2020-04-24|archive-date=2018-02-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180202070118/https://www.ssa.gov/cgi-bin/babyname.cgi|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Other Gaelic forms of the name "John" include "[[Seonaidh]]" ("Johnny" from [[Scots language|Lowland Scots]]), "Seon" (from English), "Seathan", and "Seán" and "[[Eoin]]" (from [[Irish language|Irish]]). The [[Welsh language|Welsh]] equivalent is [[Ioan (disambiguation)|Ioan]], the [[Cornish language|Cornish]] counterpart is Yowan and the [[Breton language|Breton]] equivalent is [[Yann (disambiguation)|Yann]].

{{TOC right}}

==Notable people named Ian==

===Given name===
*[[Ian Agol]] (born 1970), American mathematician
*[[Ian Alexander (disambiguation)]], multiple people
*[[Ian Anderson (musician)]] (born 1947), lead of rock band [[Jethro Tull (band)|Jethro Tull]]
*[[Ian Astbury]] (born 1962), singer of rock band [[The Cult (band)|The Cult]]
*[[Ian Bairnson]] (1953–2023), Scottish guitarist of [[The Alan Parsons Project]] and [[Pilot (Scottish band)|Pilot]]
*[[Ian Baker-Finch]] (born 1960), Australian golfer and 1991 British Open winner
*[[Ian Bannen]] (1928–1999), British actor
*[[Ian Bazalgette]] (1918–1944), Canadian-British recipient of the Victoria Cross
*[[Ian Beausoleil-Morrison]], American aerospace engineer
*[[Ian Bell]] (born 1982), English cricketer
*[[Ian Berry (disambiguation)]], multiple people
*[[Ian Black (disambiguation)]], multiple people
*Sir [[Ian Blair]] (born 1953), British former head of the Metropolitan Police Service
*[[Ian Bogost]], American video game designer and academic
*[[Ian Bohen]] (born 1976), American actor
*[[Ian Bolton]] (born 1953), English footballer
*[[Ian Book]] (born 1998), American football player
*Sir [[Ian Botham]] (born 1955), English cricketer
*Ian Brady (Ian Duncan Stewart, 1938–2017), convicted for the [[Moors murders]] in England in the 1960s
*[[Ian Bremmer]] (born 1969), political scientist, author, entrepreneur
*[[Ian Broudie]] (born 1958), English singer in [[The Lightning Seeds]], and music producer
*[[Ian Brown]] (born 1963), singer and lyricist in [[The Stone Roses]]
*[[Ian Bunting]] (born 1996), American football player
*[[Ian Callaghan]] (born 1942), English footballer
*[[Ian Callum]] (born 1954), British design director for Jaguar
*[[Ian Cameron (disambiguation)]], multiple people
*[[Ian Carmichael]] (1920–2010), English actor
*[[Ian S. E. Carmichael]] (1930–2011), American volcanologist
*[[IDubbbz|Ian "iDubbbz" Carter]] (born 1990), American YouTube personality
*[[Ian Chan]] (born 1993), Hong Kong singer-songwriter and actor
*Ian Brackenbury Channell, birth name of [[The Wizard of New Zealand]] (born 1932), educator, comedian, magician, and politician
*[[Ian Chappell]] (born 1943), Australian cricketer
*[[Ian Charleson]] (1949–1990), Scottish/British actor
*[[Ian Clark (disambiguation)]], multiple people
*[[Ian Clyde]] (born 1956), Canadian boxer
*[[Ian Cole]] (born 1989), American hockey player
*[[Ian Collier]] (1943–2008), singer and actor
*[[Ian Colquhoun]], New Zealand cricketer
*[[Ian Colquhoun (author)]], Scottish actor and writer
*[[Ian Cooper (disambiguation)]], multiple people
*[[Ian James Corlett]] (born 1962), cartoon writer and voice actor, creator of ''[[Being Ian]]''
*[[Ian Crocker]] (born 1982), swimmer
*[[Ian Curteis]] (1935-2021), English television writer
*[[Ian Curtis]] (1956–1980), singer and lyricist in [[Joy Division]]
*[[Ian Dalrymple]] (1903–1989), British filmmaker
*[[Ian Danskin]], American YouTuber
*[[Ian Davidson (disambiguation)]], multiple people
*[[Ian Davis (disambiguation)]], multiple people
*[[Ian Desmond]] (born 1985), American Major League Baseball shortstop
*[[Ian Stuart Donaldson]] (1957–1993), English vocalist and frontman of British neo-Nazi band [[Skrewdriver]]
*[[Ian Dunn (activist)]] (1943–1998), Scottish gay and paedophile rights activist
*[[Ian Dunn (rugby union)]] (born 1960), New Zealand rugby union player
*[[Ian Dury]] (1942–2000), British singer and songwriter
*[[Ian Eagle]] (born 1969), American sports announcer
*[[Ian Edmond]] (born 1978), British swimmer
*[[Ian Erix]], American singer-songwriter
*[[Ian Falconer]] (1959–2023), American author and illustrator
*[[Ian Ferguson (disambiguation)]], multiple people
*[[Ian Flanagan]] (born 1982), Welsh tennis player
*[[Ian Fleming]] (1908–1964), British novelist, creator of James Bond
*[[Ian Flynn]] (born 1982), American comic book writer
*[[Ian Forrest]] (born 1950), British racing driver
*[[Ian Frazier]] (born 1951), American writer and humorist
*[[Ian Froman]] (born 1937), South African-born Israeli tennis player and tennis patron
*[[Ian George (artist)]] (1953–2016), Cook Islands artist
*[[Ian Gibbons (musician)]] (1952–2019), English keyboardist, member of The Kinks
*[[Ian Gibson (disambiguation)]], multiple people
*[[Ian Gillan]] (born 1945), English lead singer of hard rock band [[Deep Purple]]
*[[Ian Gleed]] (1916–1943), English Royal Air Force flying ace and one of the Few
*[[Ian Gold]] (born 1978), American football player
*[[Ian Gomm]] (born 1947), British guitarist and singer
*[[Ian Goodfellow]] (born 1987), Director of Machine Learning in the Special Projects Group at Apple computer
*[[Ian Gow]] (1937–1990), British Member of Parliament assassinated by IRA terrorists
*[[Ian Gregson (athlete)]] (born 1962), Canadian actor, musician, activist
*[[Ian Greig]] (born 1955), English cricketer, brother of Tony Greig
*[[Ian Grist]] (1938–2002), British politician
*[[Ian Gunther]] (born 1999), American gymnastics creator
*[[Ian Hall (musician)]] (1940–2022), Guyanese-born British musician and composer
*[[Ian Hallard]] (born 1974), British actor
*[[Ian Hamilton (disambiguation)]], multiple people
*[[Ian Hanlin]], Canadian voice actor
*[[Ian Hanomansing]], Canadian journalist and news anchor
*[[Ian Harding]] (born 1986), American actor
*[[Ian Hart]] (born 1964), English actor
*[[Ian Haugland]] (born 1964 as Jan-Håkan Haugland), Norwegian-born Swedish drummer for the band [[Europe (band)|Europe]]
*[[Ian Healy]] (born 1964), Australian wicket-keeper
*[[Ian Hecox]] (born 1987), American comedian with [[Smosh]]
*[[Ian Henderson (footballer)]] (born 1985), English footballer
*[[Ian Henderson (news presenter)]] (born 1953), Australian news presenter
*[[Ian Henderson (police officer)]] (1927–2013), former head of secret police in Bahrain, accused of torture
*[[Ian Henderson (rugby league)]] (born 1983), Scottish rugby hooker who plays in Australia
*[[Ian Hennessy]] (born 1967), Irish soccer player
*[[Ian Hicks (disambiguation)]], multiple people
*[[Ian Hill]] (born 1951), bassist for metal band [[Judas Priest]]
*[[Ian Hislop]] (born 1960), British satirist and editor of ''Private Eye''
*[[Ian Ho]] (born 1997), freestyle swimmer
*Sir [[Ian Holm]] (1931–2020), British actor
*[[Ian Holmes (footballer, born 1950)]]
*[[Ian Holmes (runner)]] (born 1965), English runner
*[[Ian Holmes (footballer, born 1985)]]
*[[Ian Ho (swimmer)]] (born 1997), Hong Kong freestyle swimmer
*[[Ian Hornak]] (1944–2002), painter
*[[Ian Hunter (actor)]] (1900–1975), English actor
*[[Ian Hunter (singer)]] (born 1939), English singer of [[Mott the Hoople]]
*[[Ian McLellan Hunter]] (1915–1991), English screenwriter best known as the front for the blacklisted [[Dalton Trumbo]] and who later found himself blacklisted
*[[Ian Huntley]] (born 1974), double murderer
*[[Ian Jacobs (oncologist)]] (born 1957), English academic, gynaecological oncologist, gynaecologist/obstetrician
*[[Ian Jacobs]], Australian kickboxer and 3-time World Kickboxing Champion
*[[Ian James (athlete)]] (born 1963), Olympic athlete
*[[Ian Jones-Quartey]] (born 1984), animator
*[[Ian Joyce]] (born 1985), American soccer player
*[[Ian Kahn]] (born 1972), American actor
*[[Ian Karmel]] (born 1984), American stand-up comedian and writer\
*[[Ian Keith]] (1899–1960), American actor
*[[Ian Kennedy]] (born 1984), Major League Baseball pitcher
*[[Ian Kershaw]] (born 1943), English historian
*[[Lemmy|Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister]] (1945–2015), singer/bass player in [[Motörhead]]
*[[Ian Kinsler]] (born 1982), Israeli-American Major League Baseball All Star second baseman
*[[Vaush|Ian "Vaush" Kochinski]] (born 1994), American YouTuber and livestreamer
*[[Ian Koziara]], American operatic tenor
*[[The Krankies|Ian Krankie]] (born 1947), Scottish entertainer
*[[Ian Laperrière]] (born 1974), Canadian-American hockey player
*[[Ian Lavender]] (1946–2024), English actor
*[[Ian Law]] (born 1938), Australian rules footballer
*[[Ian Levy]] (born 1966), British Conservative MP for Blyth Valley since 2019
*Ian [[Hideo Levy]] (born 1950), American author
*[[Ian Oswald Liddell]] (1919–1945), recipient of the Victoria Cross
*[[Ian Livingstone]] (born 1949), author
*[[Ian Lorimer]], British television director
*[[Ian Lucas]] (born 1960), politician
*[[Ian MacArthur]] (1925–2007), politician
*[[Ian MacDonald]] (1948–2003), author
*[[Ian Macdonald (barrister)]] (1939–2019)
*[[Ian MacKaye]] (born 1962), musician
*[[Ian Mahinmi]] (born 1986), basketball player
*[[Ian Malcolm (politician)]] (1868–1944), Member of Parliament (1910–1919)
*[[Ian Martin (disambiguation)]], multiple people
*[[Ian Matos]] (1989–2021), Brazilian diver
*[[Ian Matthews (drummer)]] (born 1971), drummer for [[Kasabian]]
*[[Ian Maxtone-Graham]] (born 1959), television writer and producer
*[[Ian McAteer]] (born 1961), former gangster from Glasgow
*[[Ian McCaskill]] (1938–2016), weather forecaster
*[[Ian McCulloch (actor)]] (born 1939), actor
*[[Ian McCulloch (singer)]] (born 1959), British singer in the band [[Echo & the Bunnymen]]
*[[Ian McCulloch (snooker player)]] (born 1971), snooker player
*[[Ian McDiarmid]] (born 1944), Scottish actor
*[[Ian McDonald (musician)]] (1946–2022), British musician, best known for being a member of both [[King Crimson]] and [[Foreigner (band)|Foreigner]]
*[[Ian McEwan]] (born 1948), English novelist and screenwriter
*[[Ian McKay]] (1953–1982), English recipient of the Victoria Cross
*Sir [[Ian McKellen]] (born 1939), English actor
*[[Ian McLagan]] (1945–2014), English musician, best known for being a member of both [[Small Faces]] and [[Faces (band)|Faces]]
*[[Ian McMillan (footballer)]] (born 1931), Scottish footballer
*[[Ian McMillan (poet)]] (born 1956)
*[[Ian McShane]] (born 1942), actor
*[[Ian Messiter]] (1920–1999), English creator of ''Just a Minute''
*[[Ian Miles]] (born 1952), Australian rules footballer
*[[Ian Moran (cricketer)]] (born 1979), Australian cricketer
*[[Ian Moran]] (born 1972), American hockey player
*[[Ian Morris (cricketer)]] (born 1946), Welsh cricketer
*[[Ian Morris (musician)]] (1957–2010), New Zealand musician
*[[Ian Morris (historian)]] (born 1960), British historian
*[[Ian Morris (athlete)]] (born 1961), Trinidadian athlete
*[[Ian Morris (footballer)]] (born 1987), Irish footballer
*[[Ian Morrison (journalist)]] (1913–1950), Australian journalist
*[[Ian Morrison (RNZAF officer)]] (1914–1997), senior officer of the Royal New Zealand Air Force
*[[Scotty Morrison|Ian "Scotty" Morrison]] (born 1930), former National Hockey League referee and vice president
*[[Ian Morrison (footballer)]] (born 1954), Australian rules footballer
*Sir [[Ian Morrow]] (1912–2006), British accountant and politician
*[[Ian Morton]] (born 1970), English cricketer
*[[Ian Mosley]] (born 1953), drummer for [[Marillion]]
*[[Ian Moss]] (born 1955), Australian musician, [[Cold Chisel]]
*[[Ian Murdock]] (1973–2015), computer professional, creator of the Debian project
*[[Ian Nepomniachtchi]] (born 1990), Russian chess grandmaster
* [[Ian Ormondroyd]], English footballer
*[[Ian O'Brien]] (born 1947), swimmer
*[[Ian Paice]] (born 1948), drummer of [[Deep Purple]]
*[[Ian Paisley]] (1926–2014), Protestant politician
*[[Ian Patterson (disambiguation)]], multiple people
*[[Ian Pearson (badminton)]] (born 1974), English badminton player
*[[Ian Peck]] (born 1957), English cricketer
*[[Ian Pooley]] (born 1973), German DJ
*[[Ian Poulter]] (born 1976), English professional golfer
*[[Ian Punnett]] (born 1960), American radio broadcaster and priest
*[[Ian Rankin]] (born 1960), Scottish novelist
*[[Ian Reed]] (1927–2020), Australian discus thrower
*[[Ian Reid (disambiguation)]], multiple people
*[[Ian Richards (disambiguation)]], multiple people
*[[Ian Richardson]] (1934–2007), Scottish actor
*[[Ian Roberts (athlete)]] (born 1973), Guyanese-American educator and former Olympic athlete
*[[Ian Robinson (disambiguation)]], multiple people
*[[Ian Ross (disambiguation)]], multiple people
*[[Ian Rush]] (born 1961), Welsh footballer
*[[Ian Sanders]] (born 1961), cricketer for Edinburgh, Scotland
*[[Ian Sangalang]] (born 1991), Filipino professional basketball player
*[[Ian Scheckter]] (born 1947), former South African F1 driver. Brother of Jody Scheckter and uncle of Tomas Scheckter.
*[[Ian Scott (disambiguation)]], multiple people
*[[Ian Shaw (actor)]] (born 1969)
*[[Ian Smith (disambiguation)]], multiple people
*[[Ian Smith]] (1919–2007), Prime Minister of Rhodesia 1964–1979
*[[Ian Snell]] (born 1981), American Major League Baseball pitcher
*[[Ian Somerhalder]] (born 1978), actor
*[[Ian Stanley]] (born 1957), British musician
*[[Ian Stannard]] (born 1987), English cyclist
*[[Ian Stevenson Webster]] (1925–2002), British judge
*[[Ian Stewart (disambiguation)]], multiple people
*[[Ian Stone]], English comedian
*[[Ian Svenonius]] (born 1968), American musician
*[[Ian Tattersall]], (born 1945), American paleoanthropologist
*[[Ian Thomas (disambiguation)]], multiple people
*[[Ian Thomson (disambiguation)]], multiple people
*[[Ian Thornley]] (born 1972), Canadian musician
*[[Ian Thorpe]] (born 1982), Australian swimmer
*[[Sam Totman|Ian "Sam" Totman]] (born 1979), British guitarist
*[[Ian Tracey]] (born 1964), Canadian actor
*[[Ian Tyson]] (1933–2022), Canadian singer-songwriter
*[[Ian Van Dahl]], Belgian artist
*[[Ian Veneracion]] (born 1975), Filipino actor, athlete, pilot, and singer
*[[Ian Voigt]], American sound engineer
*[[Ian Walker (sailor)]] (born 1970), British sailor
*[[Ian Wallace (disambiguation)]], multiple people
*[[Ian Waltz]] (born 1977), American discus thrower
*[[Ian Watkins (Lostprophets singer)]] (born 1977), former lead singer of the alternative metal band Lostprophets, and convicted pedophile
*[[Ian "H" Watkins]] (born 1976), British pop singer and actor, former member of Steps
*[[Ian Weatherhead]] (born 1932), English watercolor artist
*[[Ian Webster]] (born 1986), English footballer
*[[Ian West]] (born 1951), Australian politician
*Sir [[Ian Wilmut]] (1944–2023), English embryologist, best known for cloning Dolly the sheep
*[[Ian Wilson (disambiguation)]], multiple people
*[[Ian Wingrove]] (1942–2023), British-American visual effects artist
*[[Ian Wolfe]] (1896–1992), American actor
*[[Ian Wolstenholme]] (born 1943), English football player and manager
*[[Ian Wood (disambiguation)]], multiple people
*[[Ian Woosnam]] (born 1958), Welsh golfer
*[[Ian Wright]] (born 1963), English footballer
*Ian Donald Calvin Euclid Zappa, birth name of American musician [[Dweezil Zappa]] (born 1969)
*[[Ian Ziering]] (born 1964), American actor

===Surname===
*[[Janis Ian]] (born 1951), singer and songwriter
*[[Scott Ian]], stage name of Scott Ian Rosenfeld (born 1963), guitarist with the metal band [[Anthrax (American band)|Anthrax]]

==Notable people named Iain==
*[[Iain Anders]] (1933–1997), English actor 
*[[Iain Andrews]] (born 1975), contemporary English painter
*[[Iain Archer]], Northern Irish Singer-songwriter musician
*[[Iain Armitage]] (born 2008), American child actor
*[[Iain Baird]] (born 1971), Canadian soccer defender
*[[Iain Ballamy]] (born 1964), British composer, soprano, alto and tenor saxophone player
*[[Iain Balshaw]] (born 1979), English rugby player
*[[Iain Bell]] (born 1980), English composer 
*[[Iain Banks]] (1954–2013), Scottish writer
*[[Iain Benson]] (born 1955), legal philosopher, writer, professor and practising legal consultant
*[[Iain Black]] (born 1967), British Columbia politician
*[[Iain Boal]], Irish social historian of technics and the commons
*[[Iain Borden]] (born 1962), English architectural historian and urban commentator
*[[Iain Brambell]] (born 1973), Canadian rower
*[[Iain Brines]] (born 1967), former Scottish football referee in the Scottish Premier League
*[[Iain Brunnschweiler]] (born 1979), English cricketer
*[[Iain Canning]] (born 1979), English film producer 
*[[Iain Chambers (musician)|Iain Chambers]], English composer, producer and performer
*[[Iain Michael Chambers]], British scholar
*[[Iain Cheeseman]], Australian scientist
*[[Iain Chisholm]] (born 1985), Scottish footballer
*[[Iain Clough]] (born 1965), British slalom canoer 
*[[Iain Collings]], Australian scientist
*[[Iain Connell]] (born 1977), Scottish comedian and actor
*[[Iain Coucher]] (born 1961), British businessman and consultant in the railway industry
*[[Iain Couzin]], British scientist
*[[Iain Dale]] (born 1962), British broadcaster, author and political commentator
*[[Iain Davidson]] (born 1984), Scottish professional footballer
*[[Iain De Caestecker]] (born 1987), Scottish actor
*[[Iain Dilthey]] (born 1971), British film director
*[[Iain Donald Campbell]] (1941–2014), Scottish biophysicist and academic
*[[Iain Dowie]] (born 1965), Northern Irish football manager
*[[Iain Duncan]] (born 1963), Canadian ice hockey forward
*[[Iain Dunn]] (born 1970), English professional footballer
*[[Iain Durrant]] (born 1966), Scottish footballer
*[[Iain Eairdsidh MacAsgaill]] (1898–1934), Scottish poet and piper
*[[Iain Evans (field hockey)]] (born 1981), South African field hockey player
*[[Iain Fairley]] (born 1973), Scottish rugby union player 
*[[Iain Fearn]] (born 1949), Scottish footballer
*[[Iain Finlay]] (born 1935), Australian author
*[[Iain Finlayson (alpine skier)]] (1951–1990), British alpine skier
*[[Iain Glen]] (born 1961), Scottish actor, noted for his role in TV's ''Game of Thrones''
*[[Iain Gray]] (born 1957), Leader of Labour in the Scottish Parliament
*[[Iain Hamilton (disambiguation)]], multiple people
*[[Iain Harnden]] (born 1976), Zimbabwean hurdler
*[[Iain Henderson]] (born 1992), professional rugby player for Ulster, Ireland and the British & Irish Lions
*[[Iain Kay]] (born 1949), Zimbabwean farmer and politician
*[[Iain Lee]] (born 1973), British comedian, TV presenter and radio presenter
*[[Iain Lindsay]] (born 1959), British diplomat
*[[Iain Macleod]] (1913–1970), British politician
*[[Iain Macmillan]] (1938–2006), Scottish photographer, noted for his image of the Beatles walking across Abbey Road
*[[Iain Matthews]] (born 1946), formerly known as Ian Matthews, English musician, singer-songwriter, member of Fairport Convention
* Iain David McGeachy (1948–2009), birth name of [[John Martyn]], British singer-songwriter and guitarist
*[[Iain McGilchrist]] (born 1953), psychiatrist, writer, and former Oxford literary scholar
*[[Iain McKenzie]] (born 1959), Scottish politician
*[[Iain Morrison (rugby union)]] (born 1962), Scottish rugby union player
*[[Iain Morrison]] (born 1983), English rugby league player
*[[Iain Morrison (musician)]], Scottish musician
*[[Iain O'Brien]] (born 1976), New Zealand cricketer
*[[Iain Paxton]] (born 1957), Scottish rugby player
*[[Iain Robertson]] (born 1981), Scottish actor
*[[Iain Smith (Scottish politician)]] (born 1960), Scottish politician
*[[Iain Duncan Smith]] (born 1954), Leader of the Conservative Party, 2001–2003
*[[Iain Softley]] (born 1958), film director
*[[Iain Stirling]] (born 1988), Scottish TV presenter and comedian
*[[Iain Stewart (disambiguation)]], multiple people
* Iain Sutherland (1948–2019), Scottish musician, member of [[The Sutherland Brothers]]
*[[Iain Sydie]] (born 1969), Canadian badminton player
*[[Iain Torrance]] (born 1949), President of Princeton Theological Seminary and former Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland

==Fictional people named Ian==

* Ian – the supporting character from ''[[The Haunted House (TV series)|The Haunted House]]'' animated series
* Ian – from [[Shane Jiraiya Cummings]]' short story "Ian"; every male character the protagonist meets is called Ian
* Ian – from [[Sarah Kane]]'s play ''[[Blasted]]''
* Ian – from ''[[Leprechaun 2]]''
* Ian – the protagonist in the manga ''Not Simple'' by [[Natsume Ono]]
*[[Ian Beale]] – from the TV soap opera ''[[EastEnders]]''
*[[Ian Chesterton]] – from the TV series ''[[Doctor Who]]''
* Ian Craig – from the radio soap opera ''[[The Archers]]''
* Ian the Deer – Elliot's arch-rival in the ''[[Open Season (2006 film)|Open Season]]'' movies
* Ian Donnelly, [[Jeremy Renner]]'s character in [[Arrival (film)|''Arrival'']]
* Ian Doyle – an Irish terrorist featured on ''[[Criminal Minds]]'' 
*[[Ian Edgerton]] – FBI agent and sniper from the show ''[[Numb3rs]]''
*Ian Foot – from the British TV series [[Come Fly with Me (2010 TV series)|''Come Fly with Me'']]
*[[Ian Gallagher]] – one of the main characters in the television drama ''[[Shameless (British TV series)|Shameless]]'' and its [[Shameless (American TV series)|American remake]]
* Ian Grimm – creative director of fictional video game in the television series ''[[Mythic Quest]]''
* Ian Hainsworth – [[Susan Delfino]]'s boyfriend in 3rd season of ''[[Desperate Housewives]]''
* Ian Hawke – the main antagonist in the ''[[Alvin and the Chipmunks (film)|Alvin and the Chipmunks]]'' movies
* Ian Howe – an antagonist in ''[[National Treasure (film)|National Treasure]]''
* Ian Kabra – antagonist of the book series ''[[The 39 Clues]]''
* Ian Kelley – title character from the Canadian animated series ''[[Being Ian]]'', created by [[Ian James Corlett]], voiced by [[Richard Ian Cox]]
* Ian Lewis and Ian Ketterman (together with dozens of other Ians) – characters created by [[Lee and Herring]]; the duo used 'Ian' as their de facto comedy name, in such sketches as the Ian News
* Ian Lightfoot – [[Tom Holland (actor)|Tom Holland]]’s character from the film [[Onward (film)|''Onward'']]
*[[Ian Malcolm (Jurassic Park)]] – from Michael Crichton's novel ''[[Jurassic Park (novel)|Jurassic Park]]''
*[[Ian (MÄR)]] – a recurring character in the [[manga]] and [[anime]] series ''[[MÄR]]''
* Ian Maxtone-Graham – from the TV series ''[[Suddenly Susan]]''
* Professor Ian McClaine – adoptive father of ''[[Joe 90]]''
* Ian McKenzie – the liberal attorney from the novel and the film ''[[A Dry White Season]]''
* Ian McKinley – from the movie ''[[Final Destination 3]]''
* Ian Miller – from the movie ''[[My Big Fat Greek Wedding]]''
* Ian Murray – the nephew of Jamie Fraser in [[Diana Gabaldon]]'s [[Outlander (book series)|''Outlander'' series]]
* Ian Nottingham – a character from [[Witchblade]] comic and [[Witchblade (2001 TV series)|TV series]]
* Ian O'Shea – from Stephenie Meyer's novel ''[[The Host (novel)|The Host]]''
* Ian Papov – character and member of the Demolition Boys (also known as the Blitzkrieg Boys) from the anime series ''[[Beyblade (manga)|Beyblade]]'' (2000)
* Ian Randall – from the [[Smallville (TV series)|''Smallville'' (TV series)]], episodes "Dichotic" and "Asylum", a character who had the ability to duplicate himself
* Ian Raymond – Laura's boyfriend in the novel and film ''[[High Fidelity (novel)|High Fidelity]]''
* Ian Richton – A character and Ginger's former crush in the TV show ''[[As Told by Ginger]]''
* Ian Rider – from the ''[[Alex Rider]]'' books
*[[Recurring guest characters in Green Wing#Ian, Oscar, Jamie, Robbie and Stuart Schulenburg|Ian Schulenburg]] – unseen husband of [[Harriet Schulenburg]] in ''[[Green Wing]]''
* Ian Scuffling – Tyrone Slothrup's adopted name after he goes into hiding in [[Thomas Pynchon]]'s ''[[Gravity's Rainbow]]''
*[[Children of All My Children#Ian Slater|Ian Slater]] – from the ABC soap opera ''[[All My Children]]''
* Ian Thomas – Ryan Merriman's character in the TV series ''[[Pretty Little Liars (TV series)|Pretty Little Liars]]''
*[[Janis Ian (Mean Girls)|Janis Ian]] – from the film ''[[Mean Girls]]''

==Fictional people named Iain==
* Iain Sterling, a fictional character in the ''[[Android: Netrunner]]'' universe
*[[Iain Dean]], a fictional character in the ''[[Casualty (TV series)|Casualty Central]]'' universe

==See also==
*[[John (given name)]], a common masculine given name in the English language of originally Semitic origin
*[[Eoin]]
*[[Ioan]]
*[[Ian (disambiguation)]]
*[[IANS (disambiguation)]]
*[[List of storms named Ian]]

==References==
<references />

{{given name}}

[[Category:English-language masculine given names]]
[[Category:Scottish masculine given names]]
[[Category:Scottish unisex given names]]
[[Category:English masculine given names]]
[[Category:English unisex given names]]
[[Category:Masculine given names]]
[[Category:Unisex given names]]
[[Category:Irish masculine given names]]
[[Category:Welsh masculine given names]]
[[Category:Welsh unisex given names]]
[[Category:Welsh given names]]