Name Spellings, Initials and Sounds
Cool Baby Names That Start With I
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Ira
Hebrew, Sanskrit
"watchful one; wind"
Succinct and sharp, Ira is one of the shortest Old Testament names, belonging to one of King David's thirty 'mighty warriors.' It was widely used in the US from the 1880s to the early 1930s (it was…
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…
Idra
Aramaic
"fig tree"
Idra is one of the less obvious botanical names. In ancient times, a fig tree was a symbol of learning, peace, and prosperity.
Idony
English, Norse
"love again, renewal"
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…
Ibby
English
"pledged to God"
An English diminutive of Isabel or Elizabeth that works best with a longer form on the birth certificate.
Idalia
Greek, Germanic
"behold the sun; work, labor"
A pretty, if unusual choice for a summer baby, particularly a girl with an ancestor named Ida. An epithet of the goddess Aphrodite, Idalia is derived from the Greek place name Idalion. It may also be…
Ilana
Hebrew
"oak tree"
Ilana is a name with seemingly endless variations, well used in Israel, sometimes chosen for little girls born on the holiday of TuB'Shevat, the New Year of the Trees. While some sources say Ilana is…
Ilia
Variation of Iliana or Julia, Greek, Basque, Bulgarian "from Illium or Troy; youthful or sky father; Yahweh is God"
"from Illium or Troy; youthful or sky father; Yahweh is God"
Three syllables in only four letters is quite a feat, but that's exactly what you get with Ilia, a versatile, unisex option with various origins. It could derive from the Greek Iliana, which could…
Ilka
Hungarian diminutive of Ilona; variation of Helen
"bright, shining one"
To some, may have the same warm feeling of Russian nicknames like Sasha and Misha.
Ilona
Hungarian variation of Helen, Finnish
"shining torch; light; joy"
This variant of Helen is used across Europe, in France, Germany, Lithuania, Poland, and it's native Hungary. Reminiscent of Elena, Leona, Ilaria, Fiona and Lola, it nevertheless remains a rarity in…
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…
Iilik
Greenlandic, from Hebrew
"ascended, uplifted, high"
A cute, unisex variant of Eli seen in Greenland. Its double I initial may confuse some, but its short-and-sweet sound makes Iilik an ideal choice for those looking for a Greenlandic name that feels…
Ida
German
"industrious one"
Many vowel names stylish a century ago are coming back, and Ida seems like a possible, logical successor to Ada and Ava. A century ago, Ida was considered "sweet as apple cider," and was Number 10 on…
Ib
Danish, diminutive of Jacob
Ib, though it sounds insubstantial here, is actually a pretty common name in Denmark.
Iana
Latin, Slavic variation of Jane
"God is gracious"
In Roman mythology, Iana was an epithet of Diana, goddess of the moon. If pronunciation troubles worry you, use the Yana spelling instead.
Ihab
Arabic
"gift"
Also transliterated as Ehab, this Arabic name has the sweet meaning of "gift". A notable namesake is Egyptian-born American author Ihab Hassan, credited for popularising the concept of postmodernism…
Igor
Old Norse via Russian
"warrior"
Musical association with Igor Stravinsky, but also Dr. Frankenstein's right-hand man.
Ichiro
Japanese
"firstborn son"
Ichiro is a good classic choice for the first boy in a Japanese family.
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…
Ina
Latin, feminine suffix
This suffix is used as an independent name, but doesn't your little girl deserve more?