
The short answer
Eithan is a masculine name that Behind the Name defines in one line: a "variant of Ethan or (rarely) Eitan." Its usage is tagged English (modern) and Hebrew (rare). The meaning therefore belongs to Ethan, which Behind the Name's Ethan entry derives from the Hebrew name ʾEṯan meaning "solid, enduring, firm", borne in the Old Testament by minor figures including the wise man Ethan the Ezrahite. Ethan is pronounced EE-thən in English; no separate pronunciation is given for Eithan. In the United States Eithan ranked #97 for boys in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
The Eithan entry on Behind the Name reads, in full, "Variant of Ethan or (rarely) Eitan." It lists Ethan (English) and Eitan and Eytan (Hebrew) as variants, and Ethan (Biblical, Biblical Latin, French), Aithan (Biblical Greek), 'Etan (Biblical Hebrew) and Izan (Spanish) as forms in other languages. For the meaning, Behind the Name's Ethan entry gives "From the Hebrew name אֵיתָן (ʾEṯan) meaning 'solid, enduring, firm'", and notes that in the Old Testament the name is borne by a few minor characters, including Ethan the Ezrahite, supposedly the author of Psalm 89. The Eitan entry was not consulted in this pass.
Editorial confidence: established
Linguistic roots
| Language | Form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Hebrew | ʾEṯan (אֵיתָן) | solid, enduring, firm (per the Ethan entry) |
| English | Ethan | the standard spelling of which Eithan is a variant |
Competing or overlapping origins
- Behind the Name allows that Eithan is rarely a variant of the Hebrew Eitan rather than of English Ethan; both lead back to the same Hebrew name.
Popularity
Eithan ranked #97 for boys in the United States in 2025 (Social Security Administration). Behind the Name tags the English usage as modern and gives no history for this spelling.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #97 | ssa-2025 |
Nicknames, variants, and related names
Nicknames: None documented.
Variants: Ethan, Eitan, Eytan
Related names: Aithan, Izan
What the name feels like
Eithan sounds exactly like Ethan but looks different on the page: the extra i gives it a slightly Hebrew or continental cast. It reads as a fresh take on a very familiar classic rather than a new name in its own right.
Style tags: variant spelling, Hebrew, biblical, two syllables, modern
Editorial interpretation: These style impressions are editorial judgment, not linguistic fact. The identification with Ethan and the 'solid, enduring, firm' gloss are Behind the Name's; the observation about how the spelling 'reads' is opinion. The assumption that Eithan is pronounced like Ethan is not stated by the source.
If you like this name
Names that share Eithan's sound, its Hebrew root, or its spelling-refresh style (editorial suggestions).
Similar by sound
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Frequently asked questions
What does the name Eithan mean?
Eithan is a variant of Ethan (or rarely of the Hebrew Eitan). Ethan comes from the Hebrew name ʾEṯan meaning "solid, enduring, firm", according to Behind the Name.
Is Eithan the same name as Ethan?
Behind the Name lists Eithan as a variant spelling of Ethan, with Eitan and Eytan as the Hebrew spellings of the same name.
Is Eithan a popular name?
Yes. Eithan ranked #97 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Eithan — supports variant-of-Ethan identification, usage, variants, related forms.
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Ethan — supports Hebrew etymology 'solid, enduring, firm', biblical bearers, English pronunciation of Ethan.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.