The name Idris is a boy's name of Arabic, Welsh origin meaning "ardent lord; studious, interpreter".

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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.

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The name Idris is a girl's name meaning "lord".

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Usually seen as a masculine name (deriving from both Welsh and Arabic), in its feminine usage it is from the Welsh alone. Idris has been used as a feminine name twice in popular culture: first by Mary Shelley in her post-apocalyptic novel "The Last Man" and also in cult British TV show, Dr Who, where Idris is the female personification of the TARDIS. A real-life Canadian woman named Idris Hall changed her name to the evocative Aloha Wanderwell and became "The World's Most Well Travelled Girl".

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