Ion

Ion is the Romanian and Basque variant of the name John, which is a short form of the biblical Johannes. The meaning of the name is 'God is gracious.' In Romania, Ion is a common first name.

What does the name Ion mean?

The name Ion is the Romanian and Basque form of John, a short form of the biblical name Johannes, and means 'God is gracious.' Ion is particularly common in Romania. Pet forms include Ionel and Nelu. Additionally, there are other Romanian variants of Johannes such as Ioan and Ionuț. A prominent bearer of this name is the Romanian entrepreneur Ion Țiriac, who became known in Germany for his former role as manager of Boris Becker.

Where does the name Ion come from?

The name Ion has its origin as a variant of Johannes in the Hebrew name Yochanan, which is composed of the elements 'jô' for 'God' and 'ḥnn' for 'to be gracious to someone.' Ancient Hebrew terms: jô = God, ḥnn = to be gracious to someone. The name is used in Basque, Moldovan, and Romanian languages.

How do you pronounce Ion?

The name Ion is monosyllabic and characterized by a vowel-rich sound. In pronunciation [iːɔn] or [jon], it starts bright and clear and transitions into an open vowel. The sound feels light and transparent, while the concluding 'n' forms a soft, closed finish. This gives Ion a fine, reduced, modern, and independent appearance.

When is the name day of Ion?

The main name days for Ion are June 24 and December 27.

Popularity

In Germany, Ion enjoys great popularity and currently ranks 1,751st on the list of the most common male first names. Its best ranking was in 2017, when it reached 787th place. Over the last ten years, Ion has been given as a first name about 260 times, placing it 1,319th in the ten-year statistics. From 2010 to 2024, it ranks 1,556th.

Nicknames & pet names

Ijon / Io / Ioio / Ioni / Ioniboy / Ionica / Ionut / Joi

Similar first names

Famous people

• Ion (Figure) (Title character in the eponymous dialogue by Plato about art as the only conversation partner of Socrates. Ion is a rhapsode (recites literary works) who is enthusiastic about Homer and is only interested in him. In the end, he holds the view that through knowledge of Homer's work, he is an excellent general.)
• Ion Al-Ioani (Footballer from Romania)
• Ion Alexe (Boxer from Romania)
• Ion Andreescu (Painter from England)
• Ion Baciu (Wrestler from Romania)
• Ion Birch (American artist)
• Ion Cernea (Romanian wrestler)
• Ion Draica (Romanian wrestler)
• Ion Drimba (Romanian fencer)
• Ion Echaide (English footballer)
• Ion Hazzikostas (Game Director of 'World of Warcraft')
• Ion Idriess (Historian from Australia)
• Ion Inculet (Scientist from Romania)
• Ion Jalea (Sculptor from Romania)
• Ion Jardan (Footballer from Moldova)
• Ion Lapusneanu (Footballer from Romania)
• Ion Marin Sadoveanu (Romanian writer)
• Ion Marton (Romanian wrestler)
• Ion Monea (American boxer)
• Ion Motroc (Romanian footballer)