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Hebrew Names that Start With I

Nameberry
By Nameberry
Updated Tue Oct 01 2024
  1. Isabella

    • Origin:

      Spanish and Italian variation of Elizabeth, Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "pledged to God"

    • Description:

      Isabella has been a Top 10 name for girls in the US for two decades now. The Latinate form of Isabel, a variation of Elizabeth which originally derived from the Hebrew name Elisheba, Isabella reigned as Number 1 in 2009 and 2010.
  2. Isaac

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "laughter"

    • Description:

      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 US list of top boy names.
  3. Ira

    • Origin:

      Hebrew, Sanskrit

    • Meaning:

      "watchful one; wind"

    • Description:

      Succinct and sharp, Ira is one of the shortest Old Testament names, belonging to one of King David's thirty 'mighty warriors.' It was widely used in the US from the 1880s to the early 1930s (it was Number 57 on the Social Security list in 1881), but fell off completely in 1993, only to return in 2016. Currently, it is in the latter half of the US Top 1000, given to around 260 boys each year.
  4. Isaiah

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "Salvation of the Lord"

    • Description:

      Isaiah, like brethren Isaac and Elijah, is a once neglected biblical name now firmly back in favor, already surpassing such long-popular Old Testament stalwarts as Aaron and Adam. Isaiah has ranked on the US Top 1000 list for boys every year but two, 1969 and 1970.
  5. Ishmael

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "God will hear"

    • Description:

      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 spelling, Ismael, ranks at Number 362. With its warm and pleasant sound, though, we could see Ishmael tagging along behind Isaiah and Isaac.
  6. Ichabod

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "the glory is gone"

    • Description:

      Ichabod, an eccentric Old Testament name, is forever tied to the character of Ichabod Crane -- and worse, the teasing possibilities of "icky bod." Even its original meaning is a negative. Skip Ichabod, as if you were ever tempted.
  7. Isaias

    • Origin:

      Latin variation of Isaiah

    • Meaning:

      "Salvation of the Lord"

    • Description:

      Widely used in the Hispanic community, as is the shorter Isai. While the original Isaiah and cousin Isaac are much more popular, Isaias commanded attention as the name of a storm in the summer of 2020.
  8. Israel

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "he who struggles with God"

    • Description:

      Though it was used by the Puritans in the sixteenth century, the founding of the modern Jewish state in 1948 transformed Israel from a traditional favorite into an icon of Judaism.
  9. Ira

    • Origin:

      Hebrew, Russian, Greek, Finnish, Sanskrit, "watchful one; peace; protectress; earth

    • Description:

      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.
  10. Ilana

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "oak tree"

    • Description:

      Ilana is a name with seemingly endless variations, well used in Israel, sometimes chosen for little girls born on the holiday of TuB'Shevat, the New Year of the Trees.
  11. Ilan

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "tree"

    • Description:

      Because of its meaning, a symbolic name given to boys born on TuB'Shevat, the New Year of the Trees, or Arbor Day.
  12. Ido

    • Origin:

      Hebrew and Arabic

    • Meaning:

      "to evaporate and to be mighty"

    • Description:

      Ido is a multicultural name seldom heard in modern America but popular in the Middle East. As transliterations, Ido and its other form Iddo are equally correct.
  13. Issac

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "laughter"

    • Description:

      A play on the spelling of Isaac that's somehow been in the Top 1000 every year since 1880. (If only by a hair: In both 1926 and 1962, it came in at number 999.) It hit an all-time peak at Number 377 in 2007, and has slumped a fair bit in the ensuing decade.
  14. Idan

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "era, time"

    • Description:

      Idan is a Hebrew unisex place-name rarely heard in this country.
  15. Ivria

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "from the land of Abraham"

    • Description:

      Perhaps to honor an ancestral Abraham, but presents a confusing image.
  16. Izaiah

    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Isaiah

    • Description:

      After breaking into the Top 400 in 2011, this name has lost ground.
  17. Isibeal

    • Description:

      Isibeal is the traditional Irish Gaelic form of Isabel or Elizabeth, ultimately derived from the Hebrew name Elisheva, meaning 'God is my oath.' Pronounced roughly as 'ISH-beal' or 'EE-sha-byal,' this name carries the rich cultural heritage of Ireland while offering an uncommon alternative to more familiar variations. Isibeal has deep historical roots in Celtic culture but remains relatively rare even in Ireland. The name possesses a lyrical, almost musical quality characteristic of Irish names, with their distinctive combinations of consonants and vowels. Parents might choose Isibeal to honor Irish ancestry or simply for its unique, melodic sound. While it might present pronunciation challenges outside Ireland, Isibeal offers a beautiful connection to Gaelic language and tradition.

  18. Ilisha

    • Origin:

      Hebrew variation of Alisha, Elisha

    • Description:

      The relationship to "ill" makes this and similar names less pleasing than the versions that start with A or E.