Find out how popular the first name Eian has been for the last 47 years (from 1977 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Eian by gender

Based on the last 47 years of data, Eian is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 29 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Eian.

The history of the first name Eian

The name Eian is a modern variant spelling of the traditional Irish name Aodhán, which is derived from the old Irish word "Aedán" meaning "little fire" or "little flame". This name has its roots in Celtic culture and was first recorded in ancient Irish texts and genealogies dating back to the 5th century AD.

It is believed that the name Aodhán was originally a diminutive form of the older Irish name Aedh, which means "fire" or "blazing one". The name was popularized by several early Irish saints and scholars, including Saint Aodhán of Iona (died 624 AD), who was an influential figure in the establishment of Christianity in Scotland.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Eian (or its variant spellings) was Eian Ó Catháin, a 13th-century Irish poet and historian from County Derry, who wrote extensively about the history and culture of Ulster.

In the 16th century, Eian Ó Domhnaill (also known as Sir Owen O'Donnell) was a famous Irish chieftain and military leader who fought against the English forces during the Nine Years' War in Ireland (1594-1603).

Another notable figure with the name Eian was Eian Macpherson (1675-1738), a Scottish author and translator who is best known for his English translation of the ancient Scottish Gaelic poems attributed to Ossian.

During the 19th century, Eian MacKinnon (1808-1888) was a prominent Scottish politician and advocate for land reform, who served as a Member of Parliament for the Western Isles from 1866 to 1874.

In more recent times, Eian Scully (1915-2001) was an Irish poet and writer who was honored with the Ausgustine Literary Award for his contributions to literature.

While the name Eian has its origins in Celtic culture, it has gained popularity in various parts of the world, particularly in English-speaking countries, as a modern and unique spelling variation of the traditional Irish name Aodhán.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Eian was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Eian, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!