Unique Names that Start With I

A unisex Russian short form, used for Isidor, Isaac, Isidora, and Isabel, this has yet to catch on internationally in the same way Tanya, Sonya, or Sasha have. 

Izya

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.
 
The exact meaning of the name is debated, though one possibility is that it comes from the Norse elements ið meaning "repeated, again" and unna meaning "to love", in turn giving it the over all meaning of "love again". Other sources focus more on the first element however, suggesting it means "ever young" o "the rejuvenating one".
 
Appealing perhaps to those who like Ingrid, Valkyrie, Ianthe, Ebony, Sidonie, Briony, Indie, and Adelie, Idony makes a rare choice, having never appeared in the US stats. In fact, the only time it's appeared on any popularity charts anywhere was back in 1377, when it ranked at #35, which meant it was used nearly as often as Anne and Constance, and more than Eve and Mary. 
 
Idonie, Idonia, and Idonea are other English forms, while the Icelandic form is Iðunn (which has ranked in the Top 50). Idun recently ranked in the Swedish Top 100 too. 
 
Pronunciation varies by language and culture. English speakers tend to say IH-duh-nee, with the same emphasis as injury, while others say ih-DOH-nee or eye-DOH-nee.

Idony

Like Violet, Lavender and Lilac, Ianthe is a purple flower name. Chosen by the poet Shelley for his daughter, Ianthe has a poetic, romantic, almost ethereal quality. In the ancient myth, she was the daughter of Oceanus, supreme ruler of the sea, and also a Cretan woman so beautiful that when she died the Gods made purple flowers grow around her grave.
 Iantha is also used.
 Ianthe was a favorite of the pastoral poets of the seventeenth century and then again in the early nineteenth. She appears in the works of Shelley, Barbara Pym and Georgette Heyer. Writer Richard Brautigan named his daughter Ianthe.

Ianthe

One of a handful of Cherokee names meaning "black fox," along with Enoli and Inola.

Inali

Sister of Antigone and daughter of Oedipus in Greek mythology, Ismene's name is unlikely to make it in modern times because of its teasability factor.  Ismay or Esme would be better bets.

Ismene

Illusia was created in 1944 by the Finnish author Yrjö Kokko for his fairy tale Pessi and Illusia. In the story, Illusia is a rainbow-dwelling fairy who falls in love with an initially-pessimistic troll, appropriately named Pessi. The fairy tale was adapted into a movie in 1984 and is also a ballet in Finland.
 
Illusionist Criss Angel named his daughter Illusia Angelina.

Illusia

Istredd is the name of sorceress Yennefer's former lover in The Witcher series, created by Polish author 
Andrzej Sapkowski. Some sources theorize that the name is related to the Scandinavian royal name Astrid.

Istredd

Diminutive of Ignatius or its female form Ignatia – or, if you're thinking outside the box, of Ingrid or even Indigo. British actor, presenter and comedian Noel Fielding named his second daughter Iggy in 2020.

Iggy

This name was created for the character Inojin Yamanaka from Naruto. It is close in sound to the English girl names Imogen and Innogen.

Inojin

Icylinn Goodman is a Gen-Z social media starlet whose previously one-of-a-kind name appeared on the charts in 2021. Ice-themed names have never been cooler (literally) — that year saw the rise of names such as Icelynn, Icy, and Ice itself.

Icylinn

Miami-based social media sensation Imaray Ulloa catapulted her previously unique name into the charts in 2021. It was one of the biggest debuts of the year, given to 17 baby girls, though it fell to nine girls the following year.

Imaray

Streamlined Isabella alternative that may have been inspired by names such as the Nahuatl Isel or Dutch Iselle.

Izela

A playful and vintage nickname for Elizabeth, Isabelle, or Isabella, if you're hoping to avoid Izzy, Lizzy, Belle, or Beth.

Isby

The last month of the Aztec calendar, with nickname options including Calli and Izzy.

Izcalli

Elizabeth Holmes named the baby daughter she had during her trial for the Theranos fraud Invicta, perhaps symbolizing that her conviction does not mean defeat. Her Invicta goes by Ivy.
 
Invicta has been used in mottoes since ancient Roman times, including Roma Invicta, which means Rome Undefeated, and the motto of contemporary Kent, in England. Invicta combines two trends, for word names and Ancient Roman names, in one original name.

Invicta

Named after the mythological Io, the Greek island of Ios is located in the Aegean Sea.

Ischia is an Italian island thought to be a derivative of the term "insula major", meaning "island par excellence."


Ischia

Old German variant of Elizabeth, newly appealing today.

Ilsabe

Ilsabet

The name of a 6th saint from Galway whose monastery became a center of learning while he was there, Iarlaith is an undiscovered Irish gem. Undiscovered in the US, that is: Iarlaith is a Top 100 name in Ireland, given to around 55 boys in a recent year.
 
Other spellings of the name include Iarlaithe and Iarlflaith, while the Anglicized form is Jarlath, more familiar perhaps thanks to actor Jarlath Conroy of Law & Order. Pronounced as EER-luh or EEYR-luh depending on accent and place, the name has never ranked in the US charts.

Iarlaith

unique names that start with the letter I, including Izya, Idony, Ianthe, Inali, Ismene, Illusia, Istredd, Iggy, Inojin, Icylinn, Imaray, Izela, Isby, Izcalli, Invicta, Ios, Ischia, Ilsabe, Ilsabet, and Iarlaith. (Page 7)

Unique Names that Start With I

Browse by letter