Message: "Ian?" - Behind the Name

[Opinions] Ian?

by bagulec

4/4/2008, 4:13 AM

Is Ian a good name? Does it have any nn?

What would be a sutiable middle name for Ian?

Can you tell me something intresting about this name (positiv or negativ) and share your opinion about Ian?

what would you preffer John or Ian and why?

thx a lot

#Ian

Replies

- Pink Princess

4/4/2008, 10:40 PM

My dad's name is Ian and he doesn't really have a nn, well sometimes my mum calls him "E". "E" is the best way of describing what it sounds like. My dad has no mn though. I think a nice mn would be something more on the classic side, that isn't too long. I actually prefer John to Ian, as John is just nicer imo.

- Chriss (guest) +1

4/4/2008, 6:02 PM

I love it. It's beautiful, classical, rough. John is too "greasy", imo.

- Lillian (LillianAMS)

4/5/2008, 2:59 AM

Can you elaborate?

I'm curious what you mean by "greasy."

- Lena (Keeping Tempos)

4/4/2008, 4:36 PM

I quite like it. It's very short, so I don't think it needs an nn - plus, it would be hard to make one for it. I prefer Ian over John, because John has been used sooo much, that it's boring to me.

- Elena +1

4/4/2008, 11:09 AM

I like Ian a lot and I've given mns much thought because it's my dh's favorite male name. The combos we've tossed around:

Ian Alexander
Ian Christopher
Ian Dominic
Ian Gabriel -- our favorite
Ian Gregory
Ian Matthew
Ian Michael
Ian Patrick
Ian Thomas

Ian goes well with our Scottish surname. I think my dh loves it mainly for that feel and because it's not overly common the way John is and always has been.

- bagulec

4/4/2008, 1:19 PM

Ian christopher is EXCELENT :-)

- AG. +7

4/4/2008, 9:01 AM

I really love the name Ian, but it's a touch too common for me to use. I just love the sound of it and for that reason I prefer it to John.

- bagulec +6

4/4/2008, 9:13 AM

is it too common?
from the popularity charts I wouldn't say.
but less then John, right?

- AG. +5

4/4/2008, 11:13 AM

It's certainly less popular than John but it's been in the top 100 (in the US anyway) for about twenty-five years. "Too common" is a matter of personal taste, I think, and I'd generally aim for a name that's outside the top 100. Of the top 100 names though Ian is definitely one of my favourites. My fiance likes more common names though and if we were really in a dispute, I could concede to Ian.

- queenv +1

4/4/2008, 4:32 PM

Has Ian really been in the top 100 in the US for twenty-five years? I was under the impression that its popularity had only begun to rise here more recently than that, say within the last ten years.

- AG.

4/5/2008, 8:17 AM

Yes, but it hasn't been terribly close to the top of the list. It seems to hover around the 70-80 range. Hopefully this link works -

http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/

- bagulec +2

4/4/2008, 12:38 PM

I really like your answear.
Thanks

what names are on your list at the moment if I may ask?
the question type: if you like Ian you might like ... :-)

- AG. +1

4/5/2008, 8:34 AM

I haven't touched my PNL on here in awhile, so here are a few of my favourites that I think have a similar feel to Ian:

Adah, Adele / Adela, Agatha / Agathe, Amelia, Anna, Anwen, Beatrice, Bryony, Carys, Colette, Davina, Elinor, Elisabeth, Estella, Fiona, Imogen, Ingrid, Isadora, Jemima, Juliet, Larissa, Leah, Linnéa, Lucy, Maeve, Mathilda, Noemi, Petra, Philippa, Rhoswen / Róisín, Romola, Ruby, Sadie, Saoirse, Talaith, Vera, Violet, Zosia

Abel, Alasdair, Ambrose, Andrew, Asa, Aubrey, Basil, Canaan, Callum, Carwyn, Colm, Elias, Elliott, Emrys, Felix, Gareth,

... Load Full Message

This message was edited 4/5/2008, 8:35 AM

- bagulec

4/6/2008, 7:57 AM

i like Colm but sit sounds like a short from Malcolm, doesn;t it?

Jona is interesting.

Oliver is a winer for a mn.

William is a srtong contestend for a second son.

and Ian :-)

- Melissa (telfalathiel) +1

4/4/2008, 8:07 AM

I love Ian! I know an Ian who is 27. He's a drummer. Aside from that, he's a really quiet guy. Anyway, I think since Ian is a form of John you can get away with John, Jack, Sean, or Shane as nicknames. I definitely prefer Ian to John. I know way too many Johns.

Combos:
Ian Gregor
Ian Daniel
Ian Gabriel
Ian Joseph
Ian Robert
Ian Martin
Ian Lukas
Ian Frederick
Ian Benjamin
Ian Gordon

- bagulec

4/4/2008, 9:11 AM

quiet guy / drummer - sounds really good to me :-)
I think that's the energy I am looking for...

you gave me a few good combos

Ian Gregor - good but no
Ian Daniel - I don't like Daniael at all
Ian Gabriel - too soft
Ian Joseph - don't like Joseph
Ian Robert - Robert is not my style
Ian Martin - Not my style
Ian Lukas - good
Ian Frederick - good
Ian Benjamin - like it
Ian Gordon - good but too brown :-)

- penguiny7 +3

4/4/2008, 6:46 AM

I like it

I've always thought it was a handsome name. It definitely doesn't need a nickname. I don't even know how you could get one from it. It's barely two syllables long-- sounds more like one really.

Some middle name suggestions:

Ian Arthur
Ian Charles
Ian Connor
Ian Diarmaid (ha, reminds me of Ian McDiarmid.)
Ian Edward (I know someone with this name)
Ian George
Ian Graham
Ian Henry
Ian James
Ian Lewis
Ian Mackenzie
Ian Michael
Ian Patrick
Ian Samuel
Ian William

I like both Ian and John, but I think I'd prefer Ian, just because John is like the most common name ever (at least stereotypically so).

This message was edited 4/4/2008, 6:46 AM

- bagulec +2

4/4/2008, 7:42 AM

Ian Graham
Ian Henry

are my type

NN doesn't have to be shorter then name itself for example John Johnny. And nn can have a softener factor or can creat less formal way...anyway...I don't know any but I thought you might! existing one or just freshly invented :-)

thx a million

- penguiny7 +1

4/4/2008, 11:25 AM

that's true

I didn't think of that. In my mind things like Johnny are more diminuative forms or pet names than nicknames. To me a nickname is more something shorter to call someone with a long name. Although of course that's not actually the only thing it is.

- bagulec

4/4/2008, 12:36 PM

ok - fair enough

for me nickname and petname are the same (or clouse enough)
but I got your point :-)

- queenv

4/4/2008, 6:25 AM

I don't like Ian either. I just don't like the way it sounds. In the United States, it has been seen as the quintessential British name. (When I worked as a telemarketer, every single Ian I reached had a British accent.) This has given it a certain panache here. But that's sure to change as the name becomes more popular, which it has been.
A two syllable middle name would be best, but I can't do better than that. I'm not good at coming up with middle names.
I can't think of any nicknames. It really doesn't need one.
I'd prefer John, which isn't a big favorite of mine, but I really just don't like Ian.

- Catarina (kollaps)

4/4/2008, 6:04 AM

I don't like Ian. I can't really say why I don't like it though, but when I see a Ian, I always wonder why he's not just called John, which is far more attractive. I don't think Ian needs a nickname, it can't get simpler than that.

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