Dog Names That Start With I

  1. Ishi
    • Origin:

      Japanese
    • Meaning:

      "stone"
    • Description:

      Connotes a strong, solid character.
  2. Itachi
    • Origin:

      Japanese
    • Meaning:

      "weasel"
    • Description:

      The Japanese word for "weasel" was chosen as the name of Itachi Uchiha, a character in Naruto. In anime, name meanings often relate to a character's story. Weasels are bad luck in Japanese culture and are associated with death. In this case, Itachi killed his entire family besides his brother, so his name's meaning was appropriate.
  3. Irvin
    • Origin:

      Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "handsome, fair of face"
    • Description:

      Irvin is an Old Man name that has an uncertain future. Losing the final g in Irving makes the name slightly less dated -- but just slightly. There's something about the 'erv' sound that makes Irvin and brothers feel unappealing.
  4. Ice
    • Origin:

      English word name
    • Description:

      Ice officially joined the baby name pool when rapper Gucci Mane chose it for his son, born in December 2020. It briefly ranked for girls in 2021, but has since been predominantly, though very quietly, used for boys. The name the rapper and his wife Keyisha Ka'oir Davies chose for their daughter, however, Iceland, has proved more popular. Iceland is on the rise for girls, while similar Icelynn entered the Top 1000 in 2024.
  5. Inari
    • Origin:

      Finnish place name; Japanese
    • Meaning:

      "loaded with rice"
    • Description:

      A unisex cultural crossover that has seen a little use from the 1990s onwards. In Japanese mythology, Inari is an androgynous deity associated with rice, tea and foxes. In Finland, it is the name of a region, lake and village which is a center of Sami culture.
  6. Iceland
    • Origin:

      Place name
    • Meaning:

      "land of ice"
    • Description:

      Iceland is a futuristic place name that works as well for babies as Ireland. We predict it's going to be one of the top baby names of 2050, along with other girl names that end in land, such as Scotland, Graceland, and Zealand.
  7. Isabela
    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Isabella
    • Description:

      One fewer L makes this name much less popular than the more traditional spelling.
  8. Indra
    • Origin:

      Sanskrit
    • Meaning:

      "possessing drops of rain"
    • Description:

      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?
  9. Ivanna
    • Origin:

      Feminine of Ivan, which is itself a variation of John
    • Description:

      Ivanna / Ivana both come out of the name "John" by way of the Russian variant Ivan. Whereas Joanna feels dated, Ivanna feels cosmopolitan and fresh. Ivanka (of Trump fame) is a diminutive version of Ivanna.
  10. Indio
    • Origin:

      Spanish
    • Meaning:

      "Indian"
    • Description:

      This name of a California desert town, used by Deborah Falconer and Robert Downey, Jr. for their son, makes a much livelier and more individual – not to mention more masculine – improvisation on the themes of India and Indiana.
  11. Icelynn
    • Origin:

      Invented English name, combination of word name Ice and suffix -lynn
    • Meaning:

      "beautiful ice; frozen lake; Iceland"
    • Description:

      Icelynn is a modern smoosh name which rose 300 places in the popularity charts in 2023, then another 200 in 2024. It combines the strong I sound of Ivy, Iris, and Isla, with the on-trend -lynn ending of Evelyn, Emberlynn, and Lakelynn, while also having the wintery feel of Winter and Wynter.
  12. Ikea
    • Origin:

      Word name
    • Description:

      Ikea is a down-market version of the Chanel/Tiffany/Porsche brand-name-as-first idea.
  13. Irya
    • Origin:

      Variation of Irina, Russian
    • Meaning:

      "peace"
    • Description:

      Irya is an Irina diminutive, and rare even in its native country.
  14. Izya
    • Origin:

      Russian diminutive of Isaak and Isidor
    • Meaning:

      "laughter; gift of Isis"
    • Description:

      Izya is a unisex Russian nickname, used for Isaak and Isidore for boys, and for Isabel and Isidora for girls. Unlike other Russian nicknames (Sasha, Anya, Sonya), this has not caught on internationally yet.
  15. Isamu
    • Origin:

      Japanese
    • Meaning:

      "brave or gallant"
    • Description:

      This charming Japanese name, with two meanings every little boy would love to have, was briefly in the Canadian Top 100 in the early 20th Century. There are many famous bearers of the name, such as architect Isamu Noguchi and physicist Isamu Akasaki.
  16. Ifor
    • Origin:

      Welsh
    • Meaning:

      "archer"
    • Description:

      Ifor seems to make more sense in its Anglicized version, Ivor.
  17. Ishana
    • Origin:

      Hindi
    • Meaning:

      "desire"
    • Description:

      Pretty Asian option.
  18. Iku
    • Origin:

      Japanese
    • Meaning:

      "nourishing"
    • Description:

      Iku is an easily assimilated Japanese name.
  19. Iolo
    • Origin:

      Welsh
    • Meaning:

      "weathy lord"
    • Description:

      Rhythmic Welsh nickname name, derived from the Welsh royal name Iorwerth, which has sometimes been anglicized as Edward.
  20. Iobhar
    • Origin:

      Irish, Gaelic
    • Meaning:

      "yew or bow warrior"
    • Description:

      Irish spelling of Ivor

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