I- Boys

Isaac

Hebrew

"laughter"

Isaac has shaved off his biblical beard and leaped into the upper echelon of popular boys' names, outrunning cousin Isaiah. A favorite of the Puritans, Isaac has never dipped below Number 400 on the…

Idris

Welsh; Arabic

"ardent lord; studious, interpreter"

A name that crosses cultures, Idris was virtually unknown in the US before the emergence of the charismatic actor Idris Elba, first on The Wire and then for depicting Nelson Mandela. Since then, the…

Isidor

German and Russian variation of Isidore

"gift of Isis"

Isidore and variants are remarkably underused and ripe for revival, a la Theodore and company.

Isidore

Greek

"gift of Isis"

Isabel, Theodore, and Isadora are back: could it now be time for a more widespread revival of Isidore? Yet to see any big moves up the charts, Isidore was given to more than 30 boys in a recent year:…

Irving

Scottish

"green river, sea friend"

It might be surprising to know that this name originated as a Scottish place and surname name, as in Washington Irving. It became a popular choice for first-generation Jewish-American boys, such as…

Ivo

Germanic, Slavic

"yew wood, archer; God is gracious"

Succinct, stylish, and catchy, Ivo has the energetic impact of other names ending in -o . It is a multicultural choice with two distinct origins, and, as such, is familiar across a variety of…

Ixidor

Ixidor is a distinctive masculine name with a mysterious quality, likely of modern invented origin rather than traditional usage. The name may draw inspiration from fantasy literature, gaming, or…