Idean
Of Greek origin, meaning "sublime" or "ideal".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Idean. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Idean today is around 30 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Idean births was 1995 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Idean. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Idean. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
1995
5 babies that year
Average age
30
years old
1995 SSA rank
#9,392
Tracked since 1995
Popularity
Idean: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Idean 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 Idean during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Idean
The name Idean has its origins in the ancient Greek language, tracing back to the classical period of ancient Greece around the 5th century BCE. It is derived from the Greek word "idios," meaning "one's own" or "peculiar." This suggests that the name Idean may have been used to denote someone with unique or distinctive qualities.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Idean can be found in the writings of the ancient Greek philosopher Plato. In his work "The Republic," Plato mentions an Idean as a participant in a dialogue on the nature of justice. However, it is unclear whether Idean was a real person or a fictional character used by Plato for rhetorical purposes.
During the Byzantine period, which lasted from the 4th to the 15th century CE, the name Idean was sometimes used as a variant spelling of the more common name Idaeus. This was likely due to the influence of Latin, as the name Idaeus was derived from the Latin word "Idaeus," meaning "of Mount Ida."
One notable figure from this period was Idean of Smyrna, a scholar and philosopher who lived in the 9th century CE. He is known for his work on the interpretation of Aristotle's writings and his commentary on the works of the ancient Greek mathematician Euclid.
In the Middle Ages, the name Idean appeared sporadically in various European regions, often associated with individuals of Greek or Byzantine descent. For example, there was an Idean of Ravenna, an Italian monk and scholar who lived in the 11th century CE and was known for his translations of Greek texts into Latin.
During the Renaissance period, the name Idean gained some popularity among humanist scholars and intellectuals who were fascinated by classical Greek culture. One notable figure from this era was Idean Gillius (1515-1557), a French humanist and scholar who wrote extensively on ancient Greek literature and philosophy.
In more recent history, the name Idean has been relatively uncommon, with only a few notable individuals bearing this moniker. These include Idean Salehyan (born 1973), an American political scientist and professor at the University of North Texas, and Idean Benmergui (born 1970), an Argentine-Canadian journalist and author.
While the name Idean has its roots in ancient Greek language and culture, it has remained a relatively obscure name throughout history, with only a few notable individuals bearing this moniker over the centuries. Nevertheless, its connection to the concept of uniqueness and individuality has given the name a distinctive character that has endured through the ages.
People
Idean + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Idean as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with I
Other first names starting with I with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Idean: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Idean?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Idean 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Idean a common name?
We classify Idean as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Idean most popular?
The single biggest year for Idean was 1995, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Idean is about 30 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Idean in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Idean a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Idean 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.
Is Idean still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Idean in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Idean can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people share the name Idean?
Want to know how many people share the name Idean? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.