| Ethan | Noah | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Strong, enduring | Rest, comfort |
| Origin | Hebrew | Hebrew |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | EE-thun | NOH-uh |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1882 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 2004 (22,210) | 2024 (20,409) |
| In 2025 | 7,852 | 20,358 |
| Trend | Declining | Near its peak |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Ethan | Noah |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 50,594 | 116,024 |
| 2010s | 149,111 | 183,378 |
| 2000s | 201,835 | 143,533 |
| 1990s | 66,930 | 56,269 |
| 1980s | 10,490 | 12,385 |
| 1970s | 5,301 | 5,688 |
| 1960s | 1,601 | 1,519 |
| 1950s | 553 | 1,456 |
| 1940s | 254 | 1,523 |
| 1930s | 225 | 1,606 |
| 1920s | 233 | 2,284 |
| 1910s | 184 | 1,734 |
| 1900s | 17 | 622 |
| 1890s | 31 | 686 |
| 1880s | 30 | 895 |
Ethan comes from the Hebrew for “firm, enduring, strong.” In the Bible, Ethan the Ezrahite was noted for his wisdom.
Noah comes from the Hebrew Noach, usually given as “rest” or “comfort.” In the Bible he built the ark and survived the great flood; the name tops the charts for boys today.
Noah is more popular than Ethan today: about 20,358 US babies were given the name Noah in 2025, compared with 7,852 named Ethan.
Ethan means Strong, enduring (Hebrew origin), while Noah means Rest, comfort (Hebrew origin).
In US records, Ethan first appears in 1882 and Noah in 1880, so Noah has the longer recorded history.