Baby names starting with I
45 names beginning with I, each with an editorial meaning and origin note and its real popularity rank from the 2025 U.S. Social Security Administration data. Rank is U.S.-only and reflects how records are grouped in that source.
- Ian Scottish form of John, from Hebrew Yochanan = 'Yahweh is gracious'
- Ibrahim Arabic form of Abraham, from Hebrew Avraham = 'father of a multitude'
- Icelynn modern American coinage joining the English word 'ice' to the -lynn ending; no older documented root
- Ida Germanic, from the element 'id', probably meaning 'work, labor'; brought to England by the Normans
- Idris two names share the spelling: the Welsh Idris, 'iud' = lord + 'ris' = ardent, impulsive, and the Arabic Idris, a prophet named in the Quran
- Iker Basque name from 'ikertu' = to visit, to investigate; coined in the early 20th century as a Basque equivalent of the Spanish devotional name Visitacion
- Ila either from Sanskrit Ila, a figure in Hindu tradition whose name is glossed 'earth' or 'speech', or from Old French 'ile' = island, via a Norman place name
- Iliana variant of Ileana, the Romanian form of Helen, from Greek Helene, a name of debated meaning often linked to 'helene' = torch
- Ilyas Arabic form of Elijah, from Hebrew Eliyahu = 'my God is Yahweh'; Ilyas is named as a prophet in the Quran
- Imani Swahili 'imani' = faith, belief, borrowed from Arabic 'iman'; one of the seven principles of Kwanzaa
- Imogen from Innogen, a character in Shakespeare's Cymbeline whose name was misprinted as Imogen; Innogen probably from Gaelic 'inghean' = maiden, daughter
- Inara either the name of a Hittite goddess of wild animals, or from Arabic 'inara' = illumination, radiance (root n-w-r = light); root debated
- Inaya Arabic 'inaya = care, concern, watchful attention
- Indie modern name from the English word independent, and from India and Indiana; it has no older root of its own
- Indy modern short form of India and Indiana, and familiar from the film hero Indiana Jones; no older root of its own
- Irene Greek Eirene = peace; the goddess who personified it
- Iris Greek 'iris' = rainbow; the messenger goddess who travelled the rainbow, and the flower named for its span of colour
- Isa the Arabic name Isa, the form used in the Quran for Jesus, ultimately from Hebrew Yeshua = 'the Lord is salvation'
- Isaac from Hebrew Yitzchaq = 'he laughs', for the laughter of his parents at the promise of a son in old age
- Isabel medieval Spanish and Provencal reshaping of Elizabeth, from Hebrew Elisheva = 'my God is an oath'
- Isabela Spanish and Portuguese form of Isabella, ultimately from Hebrew Elisheva = 'my God is an oath'
- Isabella Latinate form of Isabel, a medieval Spanish and Provencal reshaping of Elizabeth, from Hebrew Elisheva = 'my God is an oath'
- Isabelle French form of Isabel, a medieval Spanish and Provencal variant of Elizabeth, from Hebrew Elisheva = 'my God is an oath'
- Isadora variant of Isidora, from the Egyptian goddess Isis + Greek 'doron' = gift; 'gift of Isis'
- Isai Spanish form of Jesse, from Hebrew Yishai, a name of uncertain meaning sometimes read as 'gift'
- Isaiah from Hebrew Yesha'yahu = 'Yahweh is salvation'
- Isaias Spanish and Portuguese form of Isaiah, from Hebrew Yeshayahu = 'Yahweh is salvation'
- Isha either Sanskrit 'isha' = lord, master, an epithet of Shiva, or Arabic 'isha' = evening, the name of the night prayer
- Isla from Islay, the Hebridean island, and the Scottish river Isla; taken up as a given name in the 20th century
- Ismael Spanish form of Ishmael, from Hebrew Yishma'el = 'God hears'
- Ismail Arabic form of Ishmael, from Hebrew Yishma'el = 'God will hear'; in the Quran, Isma'il is the son of Ibrahim
- Israel from Hebrew Yisra'el, explained in Genesis as 'he struggles with God', from a verb meaning to wrestle, to contend
- Itzel Maya name, usually glossed 'rainbow lady' and connected with Ix Chel, the Maya moon goddess; the etymology is uncertain
- Ivaan respelling of Ivan, the Russian and Slavic form of John, from Hebrew Yochanan = 'the Lord is gracious'
- Ivan Russian and Slavic form of John, from Hebrew Yochanan = 'Yahweh is gracious'
- Ivana Slavic feminine form of Ivan (John), from Hebrew Yochanan = 'Yahweh is gracious'
- Ivanna feminine form of Ivan, the Slavic form of John, from Hebrew Yochanan = 'Yahweh is gracious'
- Ivey variant spelling of Ivy, from Old English 'ifig' = the ivy plant; also an English surname
- Ivory English word name, from Old French 'ivurie' and Latin 'ebur' = ivory, the material of elephant tusks
- Ivy from the climbing plant, Old English 'ifig'; its evergreen clinging habit was read by the Victorians as constancy
- Iyla modern respelling of Isla or Ayla; Isla is from the Scottish island and river Islay, Ayla from Turkish 'ay' = moon, moonlight
- Izabella Polish and modern respelling of Isabella, ultimately from Hebrew Elisheva = 'my God is an oath'
- Izael modern name formed on the Spanish-American pattern of Hebrew names ending in '-el' = God (compare Ismael, Yadiel); no older documented root
- Izaiah modern respelling of Isaiah, from Hebrew Yesha'yahu = 'Yahweh is salvation'
- Izan modern Spanish name, generally taken as a reshaping of Ethan (Hebrew Eitan = 'firm, enduring'); Basque 'izan' = to be is also cited; root debated
Only names carrying a meaning note are listed here. Popularity-only records exist for many more spellings and are reachable through the full directory search.
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