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Idris

id-riss; eed-riss
Welsh; Arabic
"ardent lord; studious, interpreter"
Sophie Kihm
By Sophie Kihm
Updated Fri Aug 15 2025

Idris Origin and Meaning

The name Idris is a boy's name of Arabic, Welsh origin meaning "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 name has grown with the actor and is a popular choice in the UK and Belgium, and a familiar one in The Netherlands, France, and the US.

From its Arabic origins, Idris means "to learn or study" and is often linked to being either studious, or to interpretation, as Idris is the name of a prophet mentioned in the Quran, and the equivalent of the Biblical Enoch. As such, it has long been popular among Islamic families, and is a familiar choice across Nigeria, Turkey, and India.

Idris is also a Welsh name, however, with completely different roots and origins, Meaning "ardent lord", it appears in Welsh mythology, where it is borne by Idris Hawr, a legendary seventh-century Welsh giant and magician who gave his name to a well-known mountain, Idris's Fort.

Versatile and magical, Idris makes a wonderful, multicultural choice, pronounced as eed-REES (rhyming with "creed" and "lease") in Arabic and IHD-rihs (rhyming with "did" and "miss") in Welsh. In a recent year, it ranked just outside the UK Top 150, while in the US, it was in the Top 800, given to around 350 boys.

# 739 in the US

Idris Rank in US Top 1000

# 263 on Nameberry

Idris Rank in Nameberry Top 1000

Popularity of the name Idris

20 Names Similar to Idris

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Famous People Named Idris

  • Idrissa Akuna "Idris" Elba
    British actor
  • Idris
    King of Libya
  • Idris I and II
    Kings of Morocco
  • Idris Shah
    Indian Sufi author
  • Idris Muhammad (born Leo Morris)
    American jazz drummer
  • Idris Davies
    Welsh poet
  • İdris Güllüce
    Turkish politician
  • Idris Rahman
    British musician

The name Idris in Pop Culture

  • Idris Gawr
    giant and astronomer in Welsh mythology
  • Idris
    the shadowhunter capital in The Mortal Instruments series
  • Idris
    humanoid body that housed the TARDIS on TV's "Doctor Who"
  • Idris
    dragon in British animated series "Ivor the Engine"
  • Idris
    character in Mary Shelley's "The Last Man"
  • Idris Williams
    character on Welsh TV series "Hinterland"
  • Cadair Idris
    the 'Chair of Idris', mountain in Gwynedd, Wales where Idris Gawr studied the stars
  • Ancient Welsh name derived from *iudd
    meaning 'lord' (an obsolete element also found in Gruffudd/Griffith), and ris, 'ardent, impulsive' (same as Rhys). It was revived in the mid,19th century and used very regularly until the 1920s, but infrequent thereafter.

The name Idris in Nameberry Blog Posts