Best I Names for Girls
Girl names that start with I do not show up very frequently on the charts, despite the love parents have had in recent years for Isabella, Isla, and Ivy.
We’ve had a long period of names beginning with the letter A, which was followed by E-names for both girls and boys, and lately parents have been showing their love for names started with O. But there are still a number of I candidates ready for success.
Here are some of our favorite names for girls that start with the letter I:
Ida
With all the love for Ava, Ada, Eva and Isla, you might have thought the vintage Ida would be a likely candidate for admission into that group — but not so far. This wasn’t always the case — Ida was the 7th most popular girl in the US in the 1880s and would inspire songs like ‘Ida, Sweet as Apple Cider’, staying on the list till 1986, and is still Number 9 in Denmark, 10 in Norway and 61 in Sweden. We believe she is well due for a comeback here in the States.
Ilse
Elsa may be busy making snowmen, but Ilse, pronounced "il-suh", is still undiscovered. Ilse is a dutch diminutive of Elizabeth, meaning "pledged to God", and is popular in the Netherlands. Alternative spelling Ilsa may feel more intuitive in the United States, and is recognizable as the radiant but tragic heroine of "Casablanca" — however, we love both spellings.
Iman
One of the most gorgeous Arabic names meaning "faith", Iman was brought into the spotlight by Somali-born model and wife of the late David Bowie. Variation Imani is also popular throughout West-Africa and the Muslim world, as well as among the African American community. Imani ranks at 533 in the US.
Imogen
A Berry fave (Number 34) and Top 100 in England and Australia, Imogen has not succeeded in finding national success in the US. Despite the fact that it has so much going for it — Shakespearean cred (via a charming character in Cymbeline), a great artistic namesake (Photographer Imogen Cunningham), book and TV appearances (Artemis Fowl, Pretty Little Liars) and a cute nickname (Immy). It’s only a matter of time before this I-starting girls’ name starts getting more love..
Inara
This radiant Arabic name means "shining light" — although Inara is of those names that seems to mean something different in each of a dozen different languages. Inara was the name of an important goddess to the Ancient Hittites, but owes much of the little usage she has gotten in recent years to the character Inara from Joss Whedon's cult hit sci-fi series Firefly.
Top I Names for Girls in the US
Indigo
One of the most intriguing color names, taking a step beyond Violet and Scarlett. This rich purplish-blue dye from plants native to India is completely gender neutral, an equally arresting choice for both girls and boys, emphasized by its o-ending. The sweet nickname Indie (or Indy) add to the appeal of this spunky name.
Indu
While Indie and Indigo are trending, Indu is truly unusual and stands out from any name on the charts. Indu is a Hindi name meaning "moon", giving the name beautiful imagery. The distinguishing "-u" ending makes her stand out, but Indu is easy enough to say and spell that she would work well in the US.
Ines
This multi-cultural variation of Agnes can be spelled either Ines or Inez. It has achieved new notice via Inez being the choice of media stars Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds for their second daughter — a far cry from first girl James. Inez hit the Top 100 mark in the early years of the 20th century, falling off the list in 1976.
Ingrid
Ingrid is a Norse girl name meaning "fair", and relates to Ing — the Norse god of fertility, peace, and prosperity. Popular in Scandinavia still today where it is a royal name, the highest Ingrid has ranked in the US is number 380 in 1967. Fun fact: Ingrid is Scarlett Johansson's middle name.
Io
Would you be short-changing your daughter by giving her a name with only two letters? Not at all if it were as richly resonant as this one. Io's Greek mythological story is dark as she flees from Zeus's unwanted advances, but has a happy ending when, after being transformed into a white heifer, she does eventually return to human form. Io is one of the moons of Jupiter and the possible namesake of the Ionian Sea. It stands out from other short names as being the rare two-letter name with two-syllables and, unlike Jo and Bo, Vi and Ty and Si, isn’t a nickname.
Unique Girl Names Starting With I
Ireland
Were Kim Basinger and Alec Baldwin the first to use this place name for a baby in 1995? Probably not, but the name is very much associated with their now-grown model daughter. Ireland appeared in the lower limits of the popularity list sporadically from 1998 to 2015 and still stands as one of the most untouristed of place names.
Irie
Irie is a Jamaican name that is used for both boys and girls. Taken from the Rastafarian term that translates best to "positive and powerful." Rastas often greet each other by saying, "Are you feeling Irie today?". Irie is used mostly in the Caribbean but feels like an modern alternative to honor an Irene.
Iris
Derived from the Greek word meaning "rainbow", Iris feels both colorful and floral. In Greek mythology, Iris was the goddess of the rainbow, a messenger for Zeus and Hera who rode the rainbow as a multicolored bridge from heaven to earth. In ancient times, the iris flower was considered a symbol of power and majesty, the three petal segments representing faith, wisdom and valor. Today Iris is at her highest ever — at 107 and continuing to rise fast.
Isadora
The much-neglected Isadora is well worth considering as an alternative to Isabella. Assets include the namesake of iconic modern dancer Isadora Duncan, the liberated Isadora Wing character in Fear of Flying, the starbaby daughter of singer and songwriter Bjork — and of course the nickname Izzy she could share with all those Isabel/Isabellas.
Isolde
A name associated with the popular medieval Arthurian legend of an Irish princess and her love for the knight Tristan—which did not have a happy ending. The story was told in Richard Wagner’s 1865 opera Tristan und Isolde. Variants include the old French form Iseult, and the Italian Isotta. The romantic Isolde has had some mid-list popularity in the Netherlands since 2008.
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