Boy Cat Names That Start With I

Izan

Basque variation of Ethan or Japanese

"strong, firm; reliable mountain"

Izan, pronounced with the same vowel sounds and emphasis as Ethan, ranks among the Top 20 boys' names in Spain, where it's been popular for two decades. The US is starting to catch onto this…

Immanuel

German variation of Emmanuel

In the US, Emmanuel has held steady around the Top 200 for a quarter century now, but this variation has dropped off the Top 1000 for three of the past seven years. It was Number 974 in 2016.…

Ishmael

Hebrew

"God will hear"

Ishmael is most familiar through "Call me Ishmael," the opening line spoken by the youthful narrator of Moby-Dick . Few American parents have followed that advice, though the Spanish and Arabic…

Indigo

Greek

"Indian dye"

Indigo is one of the most appealing and evocative of the new generation of color names. Color names have joined flower and jewel names -- in a big way -- and Indigo, a deep blue-purple dye from…

Ignatius

Latin

"fiery"

The striking Ignatius is making a truly surprising comeback, sparked by its selection by not one but two celebrities — Cate Blanchett and Julianne Nicholson. With its fiery qualities and magical…

Indy

The heroic movie figure Indiana Jones was often called Indy, as in the equally testosterone-laden Indy 500 car race. It could also be short for Indigo or Indio, or just use it as is.

Ikaika

Hawaiian

"strong"

The strong sounds in this energetic Hawaiian name mirror its meaning.

Izzy

Nickname

Multipurpose pet name serving Isidore, Isaac, Israel, and -- increasingly -- Isabel.

Icarus

Greek mythology name

Icarus, the mythological figure famous for flying too close to the sun, has a couple of negatives: his rash reputation, and those "icky" nicknames.

Irie

Jamaican

"positive and powerful"

Irie is an upbeat and modern name that originated as a Rastafarian term for "positive and powerful."

Ikenna

Igbo

"father's power"

Ikenna's meaning makes it a subtle way to honor a father or grandfather. Ikenna is the name of a popular YouTube star.

Indra

Sanskrit

"possessing drops of rain"

In the ancient Hindu religion, Indra is the warrior god of sky and rain. The vowel ending could make it sound feminine to the English speaker, though Ezra and Luca work just fine, so why not Indra?

Ivor

Scottish variation of Welsh Ifor, English form of Norse Ívarr

"lord; yew tree, bow warrior"

Ivor, a favorite choice for upscale characters in Brit Lit novels by authors like P.G. Wodehouse and Evelyn Waugh, is an interesting and unusual name just waiting to be discovered by parents in this…

Iggy

Latin, diminutive of Ignatius

"fiery"

Iggy is the quintessential pop star name, though it's the nickname Cate Blanchett uses for son Ignatius. Iggy does bring any grander-sounding name down to earth.

Isra

Arabic

"journey of the night"

Isra is a gender-neutral Arabic name. The name of a chapter of the Quran, it refers to the Prophet's journey from Mecca to Jerusalem.

Israh

Arabic

"night travel"

Israh which is also spelled Isra is a gender-neutral Muslim name.

Isham

English

"from the Iron One's estate"

A noble surname from northern England that has occasionally been used as a first name.

Isambard

English

"bright iron"

Isambard is derived from Old German Isanbert, meaning "bright iron" or "famous iron". Its most famous bearer, rather fittingly, is the 19th century British civil engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel,…

Itan

Russian variation of Eitan, Hebrew

"strong, firm"

Among the most wearable Russian boy names for an English-speaking child.