Izan
A Spanish masculine name of Basque origin meaning "the generous one".
Name Census estimates that about 1,718 living Americans carry the first name Izan. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Izan today is around 6 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Izan births was 2024 (371 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Izan. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Izan with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Izan is a relatively new arrival in the SSA data. The average bearer is just 6 years old, meaning it gained most of its traction in the last two decades.
People living today
1.7K
~ 1 in 199,508 Americans
Peak year
2024
371 babies that year
Average age
6
years old
2024 SSA rank
#713
Tracked since 2004
Popularity
Izan: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Izan from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 1,152 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Izan 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 Izan during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Izans live
The SSA's state-level files cover 25 states and territories. Texas, California, Florida recorded the most babies named Izan, while Nevada, New Mexico, Kentucky recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 46 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Izan
The name Izan has its origins in the Basque language, which is spoken in the Basque Country, a region spanning parts of northern Spain and southwestern France. The name is believed to derive from the Basque word "izen," meaning "name" or "appellation."
In the Basque culture, names often carry significant meaning and are carefully chosen to reflect the values and traditions of the community. Izan is a name that has been used for centuries, and its popularity can be traced back to the medieval period.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Izan can be found in the 12th-century Basque epic poem "Cantares de Gesta." The poem mentions a character named Izan, who is depicted as a brave warrior and a skilled leader.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Izan. One such individual was Izan de Echevarria (1490-1567), a Basque philosopher and theologian who made significant contributions to the study of Basque language and literature.
Another prominent figure was Izan Zubiaurre (1615-1678), a Basque writer and poet who is renowned for his works that celebrated the Basque culture and its rich traditions.
In the 18th century, Izan Aranguren (1725-1795) was a respected Basque architect who designed several notable buildings, including the Basilica of Begoña in Bilbao.
During the 19th century, Izan Bilbao (1835-1901) was a Basque politician and activist who fought for the rights and autonomy of the Basque people.
More recently, Izan Osinaga (1920-1998) was a renowned Basque sculptor and artist, whose works are celebrated for their unique blend of traditional Basque motifs and modern artistic styles.
While the name Izan has deep roots in the Basque culture, it has also gained popularity in other parts of the world, particularly among those with an appreciation for its unique sound and cultural significance.
People
Izan + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Izan 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
Izan: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Izan?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,718 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Izan 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 199,508 US residents.
Is Izan a common name?
We classify Izan as "Rare". It ranks above 93.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,730 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Izan most popular?
The single biggest year for Izan was 2024, when 371 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Izan is about 6 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 Izan in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Izan a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Izan 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 Izan still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Izan 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 Izan 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 Izan?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.