We are on the hunt for a boy’s name which is a variant of [name]John[/name]. We want to use it in honour of my husband’s grandfather, who was [name]John[/name], known as [name]Jack[/name] but I don’t want to use [name]John[/name] or [name]Jack[/name]. I am not mad about any other variants I have come across either.
However, I have stumbled upon [name]Euan[/name]/[name]Ewan[/name] and a number of sites are stating that it is a historical variant of [name]John[/name]. We both really like this name, but I am concerned that it may not be a traditional variant of [name]John[/name] as some sites don’t list it, hence I thought it was time to ask the name gurus! I am confused because it also lists it as a variant of [name]Hugh[/name], which would be the middle name we will use.
Is [name]Euan[/name]/[name]Ewan[/name] a variant of [name]John[/name] as far as you are aware?
Can you tell me anything about why it is listed as a variant of [name]Hugh[/name] sometimes? (I am pretty sure it isn’t).
We would be using the spelling [name]Euan[/name] as this is the most common Scottish spelling, and we are Scottish.
[name]Ewan[/name]/[name]Euan[/name] is an Anglicized form of the Irish name [name]Eoghan[/name] which may in turn be a form of [name]Eugene[/name]. I don’t believe it has anything to do with [name]John[/name]. [name]Owen[/name] is closer to [name]Ewan[/name] than [name]John[/name].
That’s what makes more sense to me. Yet I keep finding things like this - Also a variant of [name]Evan[/name], and hence, also a version of [name]John[/name].
But it doesn’t sound like it can be to me! I am still hopeful!
This has always confused me. [name]Eoghan[/name]/[name]Eoin[/name] in English sounds like [name]Owen[/name] and not [name]Euan[/name]. I mean, I can see how the letters are similar etc but to truly anglicise the spelling of [name]Eoghan[/name] the spelling should be [name]Owen[/name].
I wonder how ‘oh-in’ became ‘you-an’ in sound.
[name]Edit[/name]:: [name]Just[/name] used Behind the Name. Seems like, despite sounding identical, [name]Eoghan[/name] and [name]Eoin[/name] have different roots??
[name]Eoghan[/name] (oh-in) is Irish [name]Euan[/name]
[name]Eoin[/name] (oh-in) is Irish [name]John[/name].
Welsh Iwan (you-an) also seems to come from John.
Odd…
My brother’s name is [name]Iain[/name] which I believe is Gaelic for [name]John[/name]. Same pronunciation as [name]Ian[/name] but the Gaelic spelling. [name]Hope[/name] that helps!
It is a form of both [name]Owen[/name] (not a form of [name]John[/name]) and [name]Evan[/name] (a very close variant of [name]John[/name]. Think [name]Ivan[/name] and [name]Ian[/name]) I also love the name [name]Ewan[/name] : )
I am Scottish and know quite a bit about the Gaelic versions of names. As far as I know [name]Iain[/name] is a variant of [name]John[/name] not [name]Ewan[/name]. If I were to use [name]Ewan[/name] I would spelling it this way as I think it looks better. There’s a boy who goes to my school and spells his name [name]Eoghan[/name] but pronounces it the same as [name]Ewan[/name] not like [name]Owen[/name].