Ilan (אילן) is a Jewish name meaning “tree.”

Some have suggested that his name would perhaps be most appropriate for a boy born around the holiday of 15 Shevat. 15 Shevat is considered the new year for trees, marking the beginning of the season in which winter rainfall has ended and the earliest-blooming trees in the Land of Israel emerge from their winter sleep and begin a new fruit-bearing cycle.

This name is quite similar to the name Alon (אלון), who was a son of Zebulon. Like Ilan, Alon is the name of a specific tree, perhaps an oak. Why was he given this name? The sages of the Midrash explain that it was reflective of his righteous character, which was as upright as a tall oak.

Famous people with your name

Ilan Ramon, the first Israeli astronaut, was among the crew of the Columbia Space Shuttle who tragically perished when the shuttle disintegrated upon reentry. Prior to his mission, he arranged to take kosher food and consulted with some of the world's leading halachic authorities about how and when to keep Shabbat in space.

Ilan’s Jewish pride and his resolve to keep the Torah thousands of miles from earth, left a very strong impact on Jews all over the world.

Similar Names

Similar names include Alon and Elon for boys, and Ilana for girls.