Meaning and Hebrew origin
Eithan is a spelling variant of Ethan, and more rarely of Eitan. Its meaning belongs to the Hebrew name family: solid, enduring, or firm. The extra letter does not introduce a separate root or a new translation. These English words describe a cluster of related senses rather than three promises about a child’s future character.
The Hebrew spelling אֵיתָן connects the forms, while their Latin-letter spellings reflect different ways of representing or adapting the name. When a family chooses Eithan specifically to honor an Ethan or Eitan, that relationship is worth recording alongside the spelling. It explains the personal connection more precisely than a broad statement that the names sound alike.
Meaning behind the documented name family
The name developed through Eithan → Ethan. The family’s meaning is “firmness, strong, or long-lived”, recorded in English with the source elements ʾêṯān.
History behind the name family
The biblical history belongs to Ethan: the name appears among several Old Testament figures, including Ethan the Ezrahite, associated traditionally with Psalm 89. That connection supplies a historical and religious context for Eithan without showing that the modern English spelling itself was used in ancient texts.
The reference classifies Eithan as modern English and rare Hebrew usage. Those labels describe this particular form. The age of an underlying name and the age of a particular spelling are different questions, so Eithan can carry an ancient linguistic inheritance while retaining a contemporary written form.
Spelling, pronunciation, and related names
Ethan, Eitan, and Eytan are useful related forms to compare. English Ethan commonly sounds like EE-thun; families using Eithan should state their intended pronunciation rather than assume the additional i will communicate it automatically. A family’s spoken form deserves to be preserved accurately, especially across languages.
American usage and historical context
In the United States, 8,754 boys were recorded with the name Eithan between 1989 and 2025. Its highest annual count was 3,636 in 2025; its best national rank was #97 in 2025.
Over 5 years its rank rose, from #871 in 2020 to #97 in 2025. Over 10 years its rank rose, from #1,603 in 2015 to #97 in 2025.
Sources & methodologyReferences, data & attribution
Meaning, origin, and language notes draw on the references below.
American popularity figures use published Social Security Administration records for this exact spelling. Counts below five for a name, sex, and year are omitted.