Unique Boy Names that Start With I

Isaac

Hebrew

"laughter"

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…

Iker

Basque

"visitation"

Long an extremely popular name in Spain, Iker (usually pronounced EE-kuhr in the English speaking world) is the rare Basque name that's starting to make it big in the States also, thanks to soccer…

Idris

Welsh; Arabic

"ardent lord; studious, interpreter"

A name that crosses cultures, Idris was virtually unknown in the US before the emergence of the charismatic actor Idris Elba, first on The Wire and then for depicting Nelson Mandela. Since then, the…

Ignacio

Spanish

"fiery"

Ignacio, like Horacio, makes its gray-bearded English equivalent name sound positively dashing. While the Ig- beginning summons up such associations as ignoble and ignorant, the era for Ignacio and…

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…

Ilyas

Arabic

"Yahweh is God"

Common Arabic version of Elijah. The Ilyes spelling is a Top 100 name in France.

Ivar

Norse

"yew wood, archer, warrior"

Closer to the original Norse name Ívarr , it is part of a small group of names with similar roots: Ivor, Iver, Ivo, Ives, and Evander, which all make rugged yet gentle feeling choices. Used…

Iverson

Old Norse

"Ivar's son"

In the 90s, Michael Jordan inspired thousands of parents around the world to name their babies Jordan. Retired NBA star Allen Iverson hasn't yet had anywhere near that impact, but a respectable 64…

Ilan

Hebrew

"tree"

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

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…

Irving

Scottish

"green river, sea friend"

It might be surprising to know that this name originated as a Scottish place and surname name, as in Washington Irving. It became a popular choice for first-generation Jewish-American boys, such as…

Isidro

Spanish form of Isidoros, Greek

"gift of Isis"

Another Spanish boys' name that relates to a goddess, the Egyptian Isis. San Isidro is the patron saint of Madrid.

Iver

Norwegian variant of Ivar

"yew wood, archer, warrior"

Iver is a popular name in its native Norway, but parents in the U.S. are starting to take note of this rugged yet gentle name. Stemming from the original Norse name Ívarr , it is part of a small…

Indiana

American place-name

"land of the Indians"

This state name emerged in the eighties along with westerners Dakota and Montana, and it's still used occasionally by high-profile parents such as Summer Phoenix and Casey Affleck. Action man Indiana…

Ike

Diminutive of Isaac, Hebrew

"laughter"

Ike, once the quirky one-person nickname of President Dwight Eisenhower, has morphed into a cool kid nickname of the early 21st century. The rise of Isaac and the stylishness of short down-to-earth…

Ilya

Russian variation of Elijah

"the Lord is my God"

A rare example of an a-ending boy's name that sounds masculine, Ilya has a large measure of creative Slavic charm. >p>Ilya Ilyich Oblomov is the central character in Goncharov's novel "Oblomov."…

Isidore

Greek

"gift of Isis"

Isabel, Theodore, and Isadora are back: could it now be time for a more widespread revival of Isidore? Yet to see any big moves up the charts, Isidore was given to more than 30 boys in a recent year:…

Ivory

Word name

Extremely attractive color name chosen by some African-American families for its reference to the West African Ivory Coast; more commonly used for girls.