Etan
A masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning "long-lived" or "steady".
Name Census estimates that about 298 living Americans carry the first name Etan. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Etan today is around 30 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Etan births was 1983 (19 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Etan. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
298
~ 1 in 1,150,182 Americans
Peak year
1983
19 babies that year
Average age
30
years old
2024 SSA rank
#12,827
Tracked since 1968
Popularity
Etan: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Etan from the 1960s through to the 2020s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 94 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1980s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Etan by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Etan during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Etans live
Origin
Meaning and history of Etan
The given name Etan is believed to have its origins in the Hebrew language and culture, dating back to ancient times. It is a variant spelling of the name Ethan, which is derived from the Hebrew word "eten," meaning "firm," "enduring," or "permanent."
In the Old Testament of the Bible, the name Ethan is mentioned in 1 Kings 4:31 as a wise man who lived during the reign of King Solomon. Some biblical scholars suggest that Ethan may have been one of the authors of the Psalms, specifically Psalm 89.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Etan can be found in the Talmud, a central text of Rabbinic Judaism. The Talmud mentions an individual named Etan HaEzrahi, who lived during the 2nd century CE and was known for his wisdom and scholarship.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Etan or its variants. One such individual was Etan Kalil (born in the 8th century CE), a renowned Jewish poet and scholar from Kairouan, Tunisia. His poetic works were widely celebrated and influenced the development of Hebrew poetry.
Another prominent figure was Etan Levine (1932-2020), an American songwriter and record producer. He co-wrote several hit songs, including "Suspicious Minds" by Elvis Presley and "Killing Me Softly with His Song" by Roberta Flack.
In the field of science, Etan Padan (born 1936) is an Israeli biochemist and molecular biologist known for his research on membrane transport proteins. He has made significant contributions to understanding the mechanisms of bacterial transport systems.
Etan Cohen (born 1974) is an American writer, director, and producer, best known for his work on films such as "Tropic Thunder," "Get Hard," and "Holmes & Watson." He has collaborated with notable comedians like Ben Stiller and Jonah Hill.
Etan Boritzer (born 1959) is an American financial executive and philanthropist. He has served as the Chief Financial Officer for several major companies and is actively involved in various charitable organizations, including those supporting education and healthcare initiatives.
These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who have carried the name Etan or its variants. While the name may have originated from ancient Hebrew roots, it has transcended cultural boundaries and been embraced by people from diverse backgrounds and walks of life.
People
Etan + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Etan as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with E
Other first names starting with E with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Etan: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Etan?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 298 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Etan going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 1,150,182 US residents.
Is Etan a common name?
We classify Etan as "Very Rare". It ranks above 79.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 307 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Etan most popular?
The single biggest year for Etan was 1983, when 19 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Etan is about 30 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Etan a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Etan in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.