Girl Names That Start With I
Girl names that start with I punch above their weight. The letter gives us Isabella, a fixture of the US top 10 for most of the last two decades, as well as fast risers Isla, Ivy and Iris. Say them out loud and you’ll notice the pattern: short, bright, with a clear vowel up front.
We’ve collected more than 90 girl names starting with I, each with its real meaning and origin, from Welsh and Hebrew classics to modern word names. Many I names are shared with nature, so our nature names for girls make a good next stop. You can also compare with girl names that start with H and J, or match a sibling from our boy names that start with I.
Popular girl names that start with I
Well-loved I names you’ll find high on recent SSA charts.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Isabella | God is my oath (Italian form of Isabel) | Hebrew (via Spanish/Italian) |
| Isla | Island; also the Scottish river Isla | Scottish |
| Ivy | The evergreen climbing plant | English |
| Iris | Rainbow; the iris flower | Greek |
| Isabelle | God is my oath | French |
| Isabel | God is my oath (Spanish form of Elizabeth) | Spanish |
| Itzel | Rainbow lady (from Ixchel) | Maya |
| Ivory | The creamy white material | English |
| Imani | Faith | Swahili (from Arabic) |
| Ila | Earth (Sanskrit) | Sanskrit |
| Iliana | Light, of Troy (form of Helen) | Greek |
| India | The country, named for the Indus River | English |
| Isabela | God is my oath | Portuguese |
| Izabella | God is my oath | Polish / modern variant |
| Iyla | Modern variant of Isla or Ayla | American |
| Ivana | God is gracious | Slavic |
Classic and vintage I names
Names that were fashionable from Victorian times to the 1930s. Ida and Irene are especially ripe for a comeback. See vintage girl names for more.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Irene | Peace | Greek |
| Ida | Work, labor | Germanic |
| Imogen | Maiden (possibly a misprint of Innogen in Shakespeare) | Celtic / English |
| Inez | Pure, holy (form of Agnes) | Spanish |
| Isadora | Gift of Isis | Greek |
| Ingrid | Ing is beautiful | Old Norse |
| Iva | Yew tree; God is gracious | Slavic / Hebrew |
| Ina | Short for names ending in -ina | English |
| Isobel | God is my oath (Scottish form) | Scottish |
| Ilene | Light (variant of Eileen) | Irish / English |
| Irma | Whole, universal | Germanic |
| Iola | Violet-colored dawn | Greek |
| Idella | Diminutive of Ida, “work” | English |
| Imelda | Whole battle | Germanic (via Italian) |
| Iona | From the Scottish isle of Iona | Scottish |
Elegant and romantic I names
Lyrical I names from Europe’s royal courts, opera and poetry. For more, see elegant girl names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Isolde | Ice ruler, or possibly “fair”; heroine of Tristan and Isolde | Celtic / Germanic |
| Ilaria | Cheerful | Italian |
| Ines | Pure, holy | Spanish / Portuguese |
| Isaura | From Isauria, an ancient region of Anatolia | Greek |
| Ileana | Light | Romanian / Spanish |
| Ivette | Yew | French |
| Iolanthe | Violet flower | Greek |
| Iseult | Irish form of Isolde (ee-SOOLT) | Irish |
| Isabeau | God is my oath (medieval French form) | French |
| Isotta | Italian form of Isolde | Italian |
| Ivonne | Yew | French / Spanish |
| Immaculata | Immaculate, pure | Latin |
Unique girl names starting with I
Uncommon I names that remain easy to say and spell. Check unique girl names for more.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Inara | Shining, heaven-sent | Arabic |
| Io | Priestess loved by Zeus; a moon of Jupiter | Greek |
| Ione | Violet flower (eye-OH-nee) | Greek |
| Ilse | God is my oath (German short form of Elisabeth) | German |
| Ireland | The island nation | English |
| Isa | Iron (Germanic); short for Isabel | Germanic / Spanish |
| Ilyana | Light (variant of Iliana) | Greek |
| Idris | Ardent lord (Welsh); interpreter (Arabic) | Welsh / Arabic |
| Indie | Independent; short for India | English |
| Idony | Renewal (from Norse goddess Iðunn) | Medieval English |
| Isolda | Variant of Isolde | Welsh / Latin |
| Imara | Strong, firm | Swahili |
| Ilona | Light (Hungarian form of Helen) | Hungarian |
Short I names for girls
Tiny names with lots of character — ideal first or middle names. See one-syllable girl names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Izzy | Nickname for Isabel | English |
| Ivie | Variant of Ivy | English |
| Inge | Belonging to Ing, a Norse god | Scandinavian / German |
| Ilsa | Variant of Ilse, “God is my oath” | German |
Nature and color names that start with I
From indigo skies to Irish moss, these I names feel fresh and earthy. See also flower names for girls.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Indigo | The deep blue dye; from India | Greek |
| Iolite | The violet-blue gemstone | Greek |
| Ixora | The tropical flame-of-the-woods flower | Botanical |
| Ilima | The orange ʻilima flower, emblem of Oʻahu | Hawaiian |
| Isle | Island | English |
| Ilex | The holly genus | Latin |
I names from around the world
International names in genuine use today, with pronunciation help for the less obvious ones.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Ishani | Goddess, ruler; epithet of Durga | Sanskrit |
| Ifeoma | Good thing | Igbo (Nigeria) |
| Irina | Peace | Russian (from Greek Irene) |
| Itziar | Basque place name and Marian sanctuary | Basque |
| Ilinca | Diminutive of Elena, “light” | Romanian |
| Iolana | To soar like a hawk | Hawaiian |
| Ijeoma | Safe journey | Igbo (Nigeria) |
| Inka | Short for Ingrid | Finnish / German |
| Ita | Thirst (for holiness); St. Ita of Killeedy | Irish |
| Iman | Faith, belief | Arabic |
| Ifeoluwa | God’s love | Yoruba (Nigeria) |
| Ingeborg | Protected by Ing | Old Norse |
| Isra | Night journey | Arabic |
| Izumi | Fountain, spring | Japanese |
| Ixchel | Maya goddess of the moon and midwifery | Maya |
| Isidora | Gift of Isis | Spanish / Greek |
| Indira | Beauty; epithet of Lakshmi | Sanskrit |
| Ilka | Hungarian diminutive of Ilona | Hungarian |
| Izel | Unique, one of a kind | Nahuatl |
| Iqra | Read, recite | Arabic |
Biblical, saint and mythological I names
Heroines and goddesses beginning with I. See goddess names and saint names for more.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Isis | Egyptian goddess of magic and motherhood | Egyptian (via Greek) |
| Idun | Norse goddess of youth and golden apples | Old Norse |
| Iphigenia | Strong-born; daughter of Agamemnon | Greek |
| Iscah | To behold (Genesis 11:29) | Hebrew |
| Ishtar | Babylonian goddess of love and war | Akkadian |
| Inanna | Sumerian queen of heaven | Sumerian |
| Ismene | Knowledge; sister of Antigone | Greek |
| Iaso | Greek goddess of recuperation | Greek |
| Ianthe | Violet flower; an Oceanid nymph | Greek |
| Ino | Theban queen who became the sea goddess Leucothea | Greek |
How to pick an I name
- Decide how you say the I. “Eye” (Isla, Ivy) and “ee” (Ines, Ilaria) give completely different feels — and people will guess differently.
- Watch vowel-heavy combos. I names often end in a vowel too; a surname starting with A, E or O can make them run together.
- Consider nicknames. Isabella yields Izzy, Bella and Isa; Imogen gives Immy and Genny.
- Check the meaning. Irene means peace and Iris means rainbow — easy stories to tell. See names that mean peace for more.
- Mind the initials. I with some combos spells I.C.U. or I.O.U. — fun or unfortunate, depending on your sense of humor.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most popular girl name that starts with I?
Isabella has been the most popular I name for girls in the US for two decades, and Isla, Ivy and Iris have climbed quickly in recent SSA data.
What are unique girl names that start with I?
Ione, Ilse, Inara, Idony, Ilaria and Isolde are unusual in the US and have rich histories.
What I names mean “peace”?
Irene and its Russian form Irina both mean peace, from the Greek goddess Eirene.
What girl names start with I and mean “rainbow”?
Iris is the Greek goddess of the rainbow, and Itzel is commonly interpreted as “rainbow lady” from the Maya goddess Ixchel.
How do you pronounce Imogen?
In English it’s usually IM-uh-jen, with a soft G.