Girl Dog Names That Start With I
- Itzel
Origin:
MayanMeaning:
"rainbow lady"Description:
This name, stemming from the Mayan mythological figure of the Rainbow Lady, is a surprising pop hit, primarily among Hispanic parents.
- Idony
Origin:
English, NorseMeaning:
"love again, renewal"Description:
Idony is a Medieval variation of Idonea, itself an English form of Iðunn, the Norse goddess of spring and eternal youth. She was notable for carrying, keeping, and guarding the box of apples from which the gods would eat to regain their youth.
- Isabeau
Origin:
French variation of IsabelMeaning:
"pledged to God"Description:
With Isabel getting so popular, parents are searching for new varieties of the name, and Isabeau is one that makes a lovely French twist.
- Indy
Origin:
Short form of IndianaDescription:
Indie — as in indie films — is the more girlish version of the name, but earthy, gender-neutral Indy is catching up slowly and steadily. Indy entered the Top 1000 for girls for the first time in 2023 after rising over 100 places. For a longer full name, vibrant Indigo remains more and more stylish each year.
- Ira
Origin:
Hebrew, Russian, Greek, Finnish, Sanskrit, "watchful one; peace; protectress; earthDescription:
Truly multi-cultural, Ira can be: a Russian short form of Irina, meaning "peace"; a gender-switch of the Hebrew male name Ira, meaning "watchful"; a modern Greek and Finnish form of Hera, meaning "hero" or "protectress"; a Sanskrit name meaning "earth" or "enjoyment"; and a Basque nature name meaning "fern", from the word iratzea.
- Irina
Origin:
Russian from GreekMeaning:
"peace"Description:
Irina is a Russian ballet-inflected classic, one of the Three Sisters in the Chekhov play. While some Americans will pronounce this like Irene with three syllables, the pronunciation used throughout Europe, where it's widely used, starts with a short i as in it or if and a strong emphasis on the second syllable.
- Indie
Origin:
Short form of India, Indigo etcDescription:
Indie is an independent-sounding nickname name that is in the Top 100 in Wales. As a diminutive, it's growing in popularity -- along with indie films, indie publishing -- and the reason some parents are choosing names like India and Indigo. The Indie version seems more feminine, while Indy as in Indiana Jones tends toward the boyish.
- Ila
Origin:
Scottish, Hindi, Hungarian, FinnishMeaning:
"from the island; earth, sacred speech; shining light; joy"Description:
A simple name that's rising fast in the US, likely inspired by the popularity of Isla and Ayla. This streamlined form might appeal to those who like Ana, Ivy, and Ada, and it brings a multicultural element to the name.
- Ivory
Origin:
Word nameMeaning:
"hard, white material from the tusks and teeth of animals; pale, white"Description:
Ivory was last popular a hundred years ago. In 2013, it finally began to regain some momentum in the female rankings, reentering the Top 1000, while 2024 saw it jump up the charts again by over 100 places, making it a To 500 name.
- Irie
Origin:
JamaicanMeaning:
"positive and powerful"Description:
A name used in the Caribbean, taken from the Rastafarian term that translates best to "positive and powerful." Rastas often greet each other by saying, "Are you feeling Irie today?"
- Isis
Origin:
EgyptianMeaning:
"throne"Description:
Isis has gone from magical, feminist name on the rise to the forbidden list because of the extremist terror group called ISIS, an acronym for Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. Unsurprisingly, Isis was one of the fastest-falling names in 2014, dropping 130 ranks to reach #706. Interestingly, however, since 2020, it has begun to see increased use again, and 2023 saw it given to 151 girls.
- Imani
Origin:
Arabic, SwahiliMeaning:
"faith"Description:
Another strong Arabic name, related to Iman. Imani one is popular throughout the Muslim world but especially East Africa. It was chosen for her daughter by actress Jasmine Guy.
- Izzy
Origin:
Diminutive of Isabel and IsabellaDescription:
The longer Isabella stays in the Top 10—and it's been there for more than a decade—the more we hear the nickname Izzy (especially if we watch Grey's Anatomy). it's just a matter of time before it stands on its own, as it has as a first name for the daughter of Eddie Murphy and Paige Butcher.
- Io
Origin:
Greek mythology nameDescription:
Io may be one of the slightest names in the book, but there aren't many two-letter names with as much substance as this Greek mythological example. Io, a name used for the largest moon of Jupiter, was in classic myth raped by Zeus and escaped from him by changing herself into a cow.
- Indiana
Origin:
American place-nameMeaning:
"land of the Indians"Description:
Indiana is one of those place-names (think Camden and Trenton) that sounds cooler than the place that inspired it. Its fashionable -ana ending certainly sounds eminently name-like, and Indie/Indy/Indi is one of the hottest nickname names for girls right now.
- Ilsa
Origin:
German variation of ElizabethMeaning:
"pledged to God"Description:
Ilsa is remembered as the radiant but tragic heroine of "Casablanca," and it's having something of a European resurgence.
- Ismay
Origin:
Possible variation of EsmeMeaning:
"esteemed, beloved"Description:
The rise of the the various Isabel names may give a boost to this variation, which has a sunny, springtime feel.
- Indi
Origin:
Variation of Indie, EnglishMeaning:
"independent"Description:
A true maverick of a girls' name — even more so with this spelling, the least common between Indie, Indy, and Indi.
- Ireland
Origin:
Place nameDescription:
Kim Basinger and Alec Baldwin put Ireland on the map when they chose it as a first for their daughter, saying that geographic names were a family tradition. And it seems they were a bit ahead of the curve (or trendsetting)—Ireland has been among the fastest-rising names of recent years. Other Irish place names include Shannon, Kerry, Galway, and Dublin.
- Irma
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"universal, whole, great"Description:
A Top 200 choice in the US from the late 1880s to the early 1930s, Irma has nevertheless fallen out of favor with modern parents, and doesn't look set for the sort of comeback that some of her vintage sisters have enjoyed in recent years. The devastating hurricane which hit the Caribbean Islands and the south-east coast of the US in 2017 has no doubt dealt its chances of revival a further blow.
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