Ian

Ian is the Scottish form of John, an anglicized spelling of the Gaelic Iain, which goes back through Latin and Greek to the Hebrew Yochanan, meaning God is gracious. For centuries it was used mainly in Scotland, where Iain remains the Gaelic spelling, before spreading through the English-speaking world. Ian Fleming, a former naval intelligence officer, created the fictional spy James Bond. Other bearers include the actor Ian McKellen, known for playing Gandalf, and the novelist Ian McEwan, author of Atonement. In Irish the equivalent form of John is Eoin, and in Welsh it is Ieuan.