Boy names that start with I run from the familiar to the genuinely obscure, and this list holds 100 of them with meanings, origins, pronunciations and current U.S. rankings for every name the federal data covers.
Only three I names sit in the American top 100 for boys right now: Isaac at #47, Isaiah at #57 and Ian at #83 as of 2025 (1). Everything after that is open territory, from Welsh princes and Roman gods to Hawaiian, Igbo and Basque picks almost nobody else is using.
Browse for sound, for heritage or for rarity. Each entry says plainly how common the name is, including the ones too rare for the government to rank at all.
Popularity at a Glance
The most popular names on this list in the United States, 1965 to 2025: Isaac, Isaiah, Ian, Ivan and Israel.
100 Powerful Male Names That Start with I
These impressive I names for boys are perfect for your infant!
Iacchus
Iacchus belonged to a Greek god of wine, dancing, and noisy celebration. The name itself means to shout. That gives it a loud, joyful character most mythological picks lack. Federal U.S. name records have never listed it. Your son would almost certainly be the only Iacchus in his class. Parents who like Bacchus but want something less familiar may find this the better door in.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: To shout
- Pronunciation: YAH-kus
- Variations: Bacchus
Iacomus
Iacomus is the Latin ancestor of both Jacob and James, carrying the same meaning of supplanter, and Medieval Europe knew it through Saint James, one of the twelve apostles, which kept it in church records long after everyday use faded. Today it reads scholarly rather than stuffy, and it hands you Jake or Jamie as ready-made nicknames. It has no U.S. ranking at all, so it stays entirely yours.
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: Supplanter
- Pronunciation: yah-KOH-muhs
- Variations: Jacobus, Jacob
Iago
Iago is the Welsh form of Jacob that traveled south and settled into Spanish and Portuguese use. Two Welsh kings carried it, and Shakespeare handed the same name to the scheming villain of Othello, which gives it a literary edge some parents love and others avoid. Spanish soccer striker Iago Aspas keeps it current on the field. The sound is short, sharp, and unmistakably not a nickname.
- Origin: Welsh, Galician, Portuguese
- Meaning: Supplanter
- Pronunciation: ee-AH-go, YA-gaw
- Variations: Xacobe, Xaime
- Namesakes: Iago Aspas, a Spanish soccer player who played as a striker for the Spain national team.
- Popularity: Iago ranked #12,732 in the U.S. in 2025.
Iah
Iah is an ancient Egyptian name tied to an early god of the moon. Egyptians treated the moon as a guide for the dead on their way to the afterlife. That gives the name a quiet, watchful feeling rather than a grand one. Three letters and one soft syllable mean almost no competition on the playground. It reads as a genuinely unique name for their son. It has slipped off the U.S. charts entirely since 2019.
- Origin: Egyptian
- Meaning: Moon
- Pronunciation: EE-ah
- Variations: Yah, Jah, Aah
- Popularity: Iah last appeared in U.S. data at #16,460 in 2019.
Iairos
Iairos is the Greek form of Jairus, the father whose daughter Jesus restores to life in the Gospels, and the meaning, he shines, sits comfortably with that story. It has the shape of a name from a much older world, yet it opens with the same easy Y sound as Jairo and Jair. No U.S. ranking exists for it, which suits a name this uncommon.
- Origin: Greek, Hebrew
- Meaning: He shines
- Pronunciation: YAI-ros
- Variations: Jairus, Jair
Ian
Ian is the Anglicized Scottish Gaelic form of John, meaning God is gracious (2). It moved through Britain first and reached American parents by the mid twentieth century. It ranked #83 for U.S. boys in 2025, off its 2003 peak of #65. Three letters and one clear pronunciation mean no spelling arguments at the pediatrician’s office. Ian Fleming, who wrote the James Bond novels, is still its best-known bearer. Short, familiar, and never quite the top name in the room.
- Origin: English, Scottish
- Meaning: God is gracious
- Pronunciation: EE-ahn
- Namesakes: Ian Fleming, the British author of the James Bond series.
- Popularity: Ian ranked #83 in the U.S. in 2025.
Ianto
Ianto is a Welsh pet form of Ifan, itself a form of John, and it is rarely heard outside Wales. Fans of the Doctor Who spin-off Torchwood know Ianto Jones, the quiet office manager who became the show’s emotional center, and the name sounds warm and small without sounding babyish, which is a hard trick. It last appeared in U.S. records in 2015 and has not charted since.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: God is gracious
- Pronunciation: YAN-taw
- Variations: Ifan, John
- Popularity: Ianto last appeared in U.S. data at #11,207 in 2015.
Ianuarius
Ianuarius is the older Roman spelling of Januarius. Both simply mean January. The month took its name from Janus, god of gateways and fresh starts. That makes it a natural pick for a boy born as one year turns into the next. It is a mouthful at five syllables, though Ian sits inside it as a ready escape hatch. Nothing about it appears in U.S. name data.
- Origin: Roman, Latin
- Meaning: January
- Pronunciation: ee-ah-nuh-RY-uhs
- Variations: Januarius
Ianus
Ianus was the Roman god of doorways, beginnings, and transitions, usually pictured with two faces looking in opposite directions, and that image of watching where you came from while facing where you are going gives the name real weight. It is a genuinely cool name that most people will hear as a fresh take on Ian. U.S. records have never had enough births to rank it.
- Origin: Roman
- Meaning: Archway
- Pronunciation: YA-noos
- Variations: Janus
Iason
Iason is the original Greek form of Jason, built on the verb iaomai, to heal. In myth it belonged to the leader of the Argonauts. He sailed for the Golden Fleece with a crew of heroes. The classical spelling gives a familiar name a scholarly turn without making it hard to say. It charted in the U.S. as recently as 2020, at #9,947. It has been quiet since.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Healer
- Pronunciation: EE-A-SAWN
- Variations: Jason
- Popularity: Iason last appeared in U.S. data at #9,947 in 2020.
Ibrahim
Ibrahim is the Arabic form of Abraham, honoring the patriarch whose faith anchors three religions, and it means father of many. It ranked #351 for U.S. boys in 2025, its strongest showing on record, so it is familiar without being common, and the Russian military engineer Ibrahim Hannibal gave it an unexpected European chapter. Ibby and Bram both work as short forms.
- Origin: Arabic, Hebrew
- Meaning: Father of many
- Pronunciation: eeb-ra-HEEM
- Variations: Ebrahim, Abraham
- Namesakes: Ibrahim Hannibal, a Russian military engineer and noble of African origin.
- Popularity: Ibrahim ranked #351 in the U.S. in 2025.
Ibro
Ibro is the Bosnian short form of the Arabic boy’s name Ibrahim. Where the full name sounds ancient and formal, Ibro is quick, friendly, and easy for a toddler to say about himself. It carries the same meaning of father of many in a package that fits on a lunchbox label. American records have never listed it.
- Origin: Bosnian, Arabic
- Meaning: Father of many
- Pronunciation: EE-bro
- Variations: Ibrahim
Icarus
Icarus hails from Greek mythology, where a boy escapes a labyrinth on wings his father built from feathers and wax. He flies too near the sun and falls into the sea. It is a cautionary story, which gives some parents pause. It is also a story about ambition and flight. The name reached #4,771 in the U.S. in 2025, its best rank yet, so other parents are clearly making peace with the ending. It also carries no obvious nickname, so what lands on the birth certificate is what gets used.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Unknown
- Pronunciation: ICK-ah-ruhs
- Variations: Ikaros
- Popularity: Icarus ranked #4,771 in the U.S. in 2025.
Ichabod
Ichabod comes from Hebrew and means, bluntly, no glory, and its fame rests on Ichabod Crane, the lanky schoolmaster chased through the woods by the Headless Horseman in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. That makes it an autumn name, a storyteller’s name, and a fairly bold one to hand a newborn. It has never had enough U.S. births to earn a published rank.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: No glory
- Pronunciation: IK-ah-bahd
Ichiro
Ichiro joins the Japanese elements ichi, one, and ro, son. It was traditionally given to a firstborn boy. Baseball fans know Ichiro Suzuki, who played 28 professional seasons across two countries. It is a cute name with a firm rhythm. Three even syllables that never blur. It last charted in the U.S. in 2024.
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: One son
- Pronunciation: EE-chee-roh
- Namesakes: Ichiro Suzuki, a Japanese baseball player who played professionally for 28 seasons.
- Popularity: Ichiro last appeared in U.S. data at #10,289 in 2024. Its best year was 1920, at #1,725.
Iddo
Iddo is a short Hebrew name meaning timely or appointed, borne by a prophet in the Hebrew Bible, and its two syllables and soft landing on the O make it easier to wear than most Old Testament rarities. It surfaced in U.S. records as recently as 2020 without ever becoming common. For a Jewish family after something scriptural but unworn, Iddo is a strong candidate.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Timely
- Pronunciation: EE-doh
- Popularity: U.S. records last placed Iddo at #12,795 back in 2020.
Idris
Idris does double duty: in Welsh legend it belongs to a giant linked with wisdom and stargazing at Cadair Idris in Snowdonia, and in Arabic it names an ancient prophet. British actor Idris Elba has carried it into film and television for two decades. The name reached #694 for U.S. boys in 2025, its best rank so far, so it is climbing rather than fading.
- Origin: Arabic, Welsh
- Meaning: Interpreter, ardent lord
- Pronunciation: eed-REES
- Namesakes: Idris Elba, a British actor known for his roles in Luther: The Fallen Sun and Beast.
- Popularity: Idris ranked #694 in the U.S. in 2025.
Iesus
Iesus is the Latin form of Jesus, the spelling that carried the name through the Vulgate and centuries of European liturgy. It means God is salvation. It stays deeply tied to Christian tradition. Yet it looks unfamiliar enough to read as a distinct name. Pronunciation splits between YAY-soos and ee-SOOS, depending on whose Latin you learned. It does not appear in U.S. name records.
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: God is salvation
- Pronunciation: YAY-soos, ee-SOOS
- Variations: Jesus, Yeshua, Joshua
Ifan
Ifan is the Welsh form of John, said like the English Evan, and it was a genuine trend in Wales through the 1990s and 2000s. The spelling is the whole point, the same friendly sound with a completely different look on paper, and it has never registered in U.S. federal name data, so an American Ifan would be charting his own course. Families with Welsh roots often use it to keep a grandfather’s John alive in a Welsh spelling.
- Origin: Welsh, Hebrew
- Meaning: God is gracious
- Pronunciation: EE-van
- Variations: Evan, Ieuan, Iefan, Iwan
- Namesakes: Ifan Dafydd, a Welsh singer-songwriter and music producer.
Iggy
Iggy is a badass name thanks almost entirely to Iggy Pop, the Stooges frontman often called the godfather of punk. It works as a nickname for Ignatius or Ignacio. It also works increasingly as a standalone. The double G gives it a bounce that suits a small boy. It still works on a grown man in a band. It ranked #8,500 in the U.S. in 2025.
- Origin: English, Roman, Latin
- Meaning: Fire
- Pronunciation: IG-ee
- Namesakes: Iggy Pop, born James Newell Osterberg Jr., an American singer for the proto-punk band The Stooges.
- Popularity: Iggy ranked #8,500 in the U.S. in 2025.
Igino
Igino is the Italian form of Hyginus, from the Greek hygieinos, healthy, and it reads as a wish rather than a description, the kind of name families choose after a difficult pregnancy or a long wait. Three light syllables give it an easy Italian lilt. No U.S. ranking exists for it.
- Origin: Italian, Latin, Greek
- Meaning: Healthy
- Pronunciation: ee-JEE-no
Ignacio
Ignacio is the Spanish form of Ignatius. The meaning is fire, or ardent, depending on the source you read. It ranked #830 for U.S. boys in 2025. That is well off its 1930 peak of #502, but the name is still very much in use. Ignacio Allende, the Spanish army captain who threw in with the Mexican independence movement, gave it a rebel’s history. The gn cluster in the middle gives it a firm, confident sound when spoken aloud.
- Origin: Spanish, Roman
- Meaning: Fire
- Pronunciation: eegh-NA-syo
- Namesakes: Ignacio Allende, a captain of the Spanish Army who sympathized with the Mexican independence movement.
- Popularity: U.S. birth data put Ignacio at #830 in 2025.
Ignatius
Ignatius is a vintage heavyweight, most popular with American parents in the 1910s, when it reached #602. Saint Ignatius of Loyola founded the Jesuits, so the name carries real institutional weight in Catholic families and on university crests. It is also staging a genuine comeback: from a 1982 low of three boys per million births it has climbed back to 59 per million in 2025, nearly twenty times its trough. Iggy and Nate keep it wearable.
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: Fiery
- Pronunciation: ig-NAY-shuhs, ig-NAH-tyoos
- Variations: Ignacio, Ignazio
- Namesakes: Saint Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits.
- Popularity: Ignatius ranked #1,664 in the U.S. in 2025. Its best year was 1913, at #602.
Igor
Igor comes from Old Norse by way of Slavic royalty, meaning warrior. It belonged to Igor of Kiev, a Varangian prince who ruled Kievan Rus in the early 10th century. Composer Igor Stravinsky reshaped 20th century music while carrying it. Horror films spent decades typecasting the name as a hunchbacked assistant. That reputation is unfair to a name with this pedigree. It ranked #6,950 in the U.S. in 2025, down from a 1953 peak of #2,452.
- Origin: Russian, Old Norse
- Meaning: Warrior
- Pronunciation: EE-gor
- Namesakes: Igor Stravinsky, a Russian composer considered one of the most influential composers of the 20th-century.
- Popularity: Igor ranked #6,950 in the U.S. in 2025. Its best year was 1953, at #2,452.
Ihab
Ihab is an Arabic name meaning gift, used for boys and girls alike, short and soft enough to sit easily on English-speaking ears where longer Arabic picks trip people up. The meaning suits a child who arrived after a long wait. It has not charted in the U.S. since 2002.
- Origin: Arabic
- Meaning: Gift
- Pronunciation: EE-hab
- Popularity: The most recent U.S. showing for Ihab was #11,341 in 2002.
Ihsan
Ihsan means charity, or excellence, in Arabic. It is used across Arabic-speaking countries for both boys and girls. In Islamic thought the word describes doing something beautifully, not merely correctly, which is a lot of meaning to hand a child. It ranked #2,903 in the U.S. in 2025, the highest it has ever placed. The pronunciation, eeh-SAN, lands cleanly the first time.
- Origin: Arabic
- Meaning: Charity
- Pronunciation: eeh-SAN
- Variations: Ehsan
- Popularity: Federal data placed Ihsan at #2,903 among U.S. boys in 2025.
Iisakki
Iisakki is the Finnish form of Isaac, from the Hebrew Yitzchaq, he will laugh, and those doubled vowels look daunting but are actually straightforward: EE-sah-kee, three even beats. It is one of the rarest names on this list, effectively unused outside Finland and absent from U.S. records. Isaac sits right there as a formal fallback if the full spelling proves a nuisance.
- Origin: Finnish
- Meaning: He will laugh
- Pronunciation: EE-sah-kee
- Variations: Isakki, Iisac, Isaac
Ikaika
Ikaika is a Hawaiian male name meaning strong, powerful, or mighty. The repeating vowels give it a rolling, chant-like rhythm. That sets it apart from every clipped one-syllable strength name. It ranked #3,472 in the U.S. in 2025. That is a long way from its 1983 peak of #1,611, though it remains in steady use. It pairs naturally with a simple English middle name if the household wants some contrast.
- Origin: Hawaiian
- Meaning: Strong
- Pronunciation: ee-KAI-kah
- Popularity: Ikaika ranked #3,472 in the U.S. in 2025. Its best year was 1983, at #1,611.
Ike
Ike is old-fashioned in the best sense, a short form of Isaac that stood on its own in late 1800s America and peaked at #589 in 1914, and two American men made it famous: musician Ike Turner, an early rock and roll pioneer, and President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who campaigned on it. One syllable, no spelling questions, and a handshake of a sound. It still charts, at #2,460 in 2025.
- Origin: English, Hebrew
- Meaning: He will laugh
- Pronunciation: IEK
- Variations: Isaac, Izaak
- Namesakes: Ike Turner, an American musician and early rock n’ roll pioneer.
- Popularity: Ike ranked #2,460 in the U.S. in 2025. Its best year was 1914, at #589.
Ikenna
Ikenna comes from the Igbo people of southeastern Nigeria and means father’s power or father’s strength. It is a name about lineage, given to a boy expected to carry something forward. The rhythm is warm and open, and Ike works as a short form that travels easily in the U.S. It ranked #6,248 in 2025, off its 1991 peak of #2,943.
- Origin: Igbo
- Meaning: Father’s power
- Pronunciation: ih-KEN-ah
- Popularity: Ikenna ranked #6,248 in the U.S. in 2025. Its best year was 1991, at #2,943.
Iker
Iker is Basque, from the country straddling the border of southwest France and northern Spain, and it refers to the Visitation, when Mary called on her cousin Elizabeth. Goalkeeper Iker Casillas made it a household name for a generation of soccer-watching families, and the name itself ranked #390 in the U.S. in 2025, off its 2015 high of #190 but comfortably inside the top 500. Two syllables, hard K in the middle, nothing to explain.
- Origin: Basque
- Meaning: Visitation
- Pronunciation: EE-kehr
- Namesakes: Iker Casillas Fernández, a Spanish pro soccer player and goalkeeper.
- Popularity: The U.S. rank for Iker in 2025 was #390.
Ikkesh
Ikkesh appears in the Hebrew Bible as the father of Ira, one of David’s thirty warriors. The name means forward, or perverse, depending on the translation. It is an unusual choice even among biblical rarities. A percussive sound sets it apart in a roll call. No U.S. birth records list it. Families combing Chronicles for something nobody else has found will want to look at it.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Forward
- Pronunciation: ih-KESH
Ilai
Ilai is Hebrew for ascending. It is widely used in Israel. In the U.S. it is far quieter. It ranked #4,448 in 2025, after peaking at #3,080 in 2023. The two-syllable shape, EE-lie, gives it a lift that matches the meaning. It pairs neatly with siblings named Ari or Eli without sounding like a matched set.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Ascending
- Pronunciation: EE-lie
- Variations: Ilay
- Popularity: Ilai held the #4,448 spot among U.S. boys in 2025.
Ilario
Ilario is the Italian form of Hilary, from the Latin hilaris, cheerful, and few names state their mood so plainly. Few Italian classics have stayed this far off the beaten track, though Italian alpine skier Ilario Pegorari is among the handful of well-known bearers. It ranked #10,072 in the U.S. in 2025, a long fall from its 1931 peak of #3,575.
- Origin: Italian, Latin
- Meaning: Cheerful, happy
- Pronunciation: ih-LAH-ree-oh
- Namesakes: Ilario Pegorari, an Italian alpine skier.
- Popularity: Ilario ranked #10,072 in the U.S. in 2025, down from a #3,575 high in 1931.
Ilias
Ilias is the modern Greek form of Elijah, from the Hebrew Eliyyahu, Yahweh is my God. It has done well across Europe. The Netherlands and Belgium especially have taken to it. Stateside it stays much rarer than Elias or Elijah. It slipped slightly from its 2024 best of #2,196 to #2,316 in 2025. For parents who love Elijah and dread three of them in one classroom, this is the fix.
- Origin: Greek, Hebrew
- Meaning: Yahweh is my God
- Pronunciation: ee-LEE-ahs
- Variations: Elias, Elijah, Ilyas, Elia
- Popularity: In 2025, Ilias sat at #2,316 in the U.S. rankings.
Illiam
Illiam is the Manx form of William, from the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea, and it keeps William’s meaning of strong-willed warrior while looking nothing like the version on every kindergarten roster. Liam falls out of it naturally, which is either a feature or a warning depending on how you feel about Liam’s popularity. It last appeared in U.S. records in 1989.
- Origin: Manx
- Meaning: Strong-willed warrior
- Pronunciation: ILL-ee-uhm
- Variations: William, Liam, Willem
- Popularity: U.S. records last placed Illiam at #7,350 back in 1989.
Illidius
Illidius is the Latin form of Allyre, a fourth century bishop of Clermont in France. Legend credits him with curing the daughter of the Roman emperor Magnus Maximus. The name is mysterious and heavy with history, which is exactly what some parents are after. It has never charted in the United States.
- Origin: Latin, Germanic
- Meaning: Unknown
- Pronunciation: ILL-ee-DEE-us
- Variations: Allyre, Alyre
- Namesakes: Saint Illidius, a 4th-century bishop of Clermont, France.
Ilmarinen
Ilmarinen is the smith god of Finnish mythology, the craftsman who forged the sky itself and later the Sampo, and the name means air, making it a rare pick even by the standards of this list. At five syllables it is a commitment, though Ilmari and Ari both trim it down. Finnish naming has never sent it into U.S. records.
- Origin: Finnish
- Meaning: Air
- Pronunciation: EEL-mah-ree-nehn
Ilya
Ilya is the Russian and Belarusian form of Elijah. It carries the same meaning, Yahweh is my God. Painter Ilya Repin, one of the great Russian realists of the 19th century, is its most celebrated bearer. In the U.S. it ranked #3,153 in 2025, off its 2018 peak of #2,623. That is a modest slide, not a collapse. The soft, two-syllable sound feels closer to Ezra than to Elijah in daily use.
- Origin: Russian, Belarusian
- Meaning: Yahweh is my God
- Pronunciation: EE-lyah
- Variations: Ilia, Illya
- Namesakes: Ilya Repin, a Russian painter who was one of the country’s most renowned artists of the 19th-century.
- Popularity: Federal data placed Ilya at #3,153 among U.S. boys in 2025.
Imad
Imad is Arabic for pillar or support, a good name for a boy you hope others will lean on, and it was widely used in France and Spain in the early 2000s before easing back. In the U.S. it has never entered the top 1,000, ranking #4,922 in 2025. Short, firm, and unfussy, it works on a toddler and on a job application.
- Origin: Arabic
- Meaning: Support
- Pronunciation: EE-maad
- Popularity: U.S. birth data put Imad at #4,922 in 2025.
Imani
Imani is Swahili for faith, borrowed from the Arabic iman. It is used for boys and girls alike. Actress Imani Hakim, who played Tonya on Everybody Hates Chris, is its most recognizable bearer. It ranked #579 in the U.S. in 2025. That is well off its 1996 peak of #239, though it remains in regular use. The flowing three-syllable shape pairs easily with short surnames.
- Origin: Swahili, Arabic
- Meaning: Faith
- Pronunciation: ee-MAH-nee
- Namesakes: Imani Hakim, an American actress best known for her role as Tonya Rock on Everybody Hates Chris.
- Popularity: Imani ranked #579 in the U.S. in 2025. Its best year was 1996, at #239.
Imeda
Imeda is a Georgian name meaning hope, and it lands with unusual directness for parents who waited a long time for this child. It is common enough in Georgia to feel like a real name there and rare enough everywhere else to feel like a discovery. U.S. records have never listed it.
- Origin: Georgian
- Meaning: Hope
- Pronunciation: ee-MEH-dah
Immanuel
Immanuel is Hebrew for God is with us. It is used in the Book of Isaiah and applied to Jesus in the Gospels. The philosopher Immanuel Kant reshaped Western thought under it, which gives the spelling an intellectual second life outside church. It ranked #1,207 in the U.S. in 2025. That is down from the top 1,000, which it left in 2018. The double M distinguishes it from the far more common Emmanuel.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: God is with us
- Pronunciation: ih-MAN-you-uhl, i-MA-nwehl
- Variations: Emmanuel
- Namesakes: Immanuel Kant, a German philosopher during the Enlightenment period.
- Popularity: Immanuel held the #1,207 spot among U.S. boys in 2025.
Imran
Imran is the father of Maryam in Islamic tradition, and a chapter of the Quran carries the family’s name. Former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan, a cricket captain before he was a politician, made it internationally familiar, and it ranked #969 in the U.S. in 2025, hovering near the edge of the top 1,000. Two syllables, one clean stress, and no spelling explanations required.
- Origin: Hebrew, Arabic
- Meaning: Exalted nation
- Pronunciation: eem-RAN
- Variations: Imram, Omran, Umran
- Namesakes: Imran Khan, the 22nd Prime Minister of Pakistan and former cricketer.
- Popularity: The U.S. rank for Imran in 2025 was #969.
Imre
Imre is Hungarian, tied to several medieval Hungarian princes, and Nobel laureate Imre Kertesz carried it into modern literature. It remains widely used in Hungary while staying almost unheard in America, ranking #10,074 here in 2025. The pronunciation, EEM-reh, is quicker than it looks. For families honoring Central European roots, it is a considered alternative to the usual Emmerich.
- Origin: Hungarian
- Meaning: Great king
- Pronunciation: EEM-reh
- Variations: Imrus
- Namesakes: Imre Kertész, a Hungarian writer and Nobel laureate.
- Popularity: Imre ranked #10,074 in the U.S. in 2025, with its strongest showing at #2,948 back in 1964.
Inacio
Inacio is the Portuguese form of Ignatius, worn by Spanish and Portuguese saints and priests for centuries, and Brazil’s president Inacio Lula da Silva put the accented spelling on front pages worldwide. The name sounds distinctly European without being difficult, and it gives you Nacho or Ino as short forms. It last charted in the U.S. in 2024.
- Origin: Portuguese, Spanish
- Meaning: Fiery
- Pronunciation: ee-NAH-syo
- Variations: Inácio
- Namesakes: Inácio Lula da Silva, a Brazilian politician and 39th president of Brazil.
- Popularity: Inacio last appeared in U.S. data at #13,022 in 2024. Its best year was 1929, at #4,256.
Inar
Inar is Basque for sunray, one of a set of nature names from the Pyrenees that are only now traveling. Four letters, two syllables, and a bright meaning that needs no explanation once you say it aloud. U.S. name data has never recorded it, which is part of its appeal.
- Origin: Basque
- Meaning: Sunray
- Pronunciation: EE-nahr
Inder
Inder is a form of Indra, the Hindu king of the Devas and god of thunder and rain, and it means lord. It is common as both a given name and a surname across Punjab, often as the first half of compounds like Inderjeet, and the sound is short and steady where Indra is lyrical. It appeared in U.S. records in 2024 at #8,594.
- Origin: Sanskrit
- Meaning: Lord
- Pronunciation: IN-der
- Variations: Indra
- Popularity: Inder’s last U.S. appearance came in 2024, at #8,594.
Indiana
Indiana is a place name twice over. First it names the state, itself honoring the Indigenous nations of the region. Then it names the archaeologist with the whip and the hat. Harrison Ford’s Indiana Jones is doing most of the work here, and parents who choose it usually know that. It ranked #2,202 in the U.S. in 2025, with Indy waiting as the everyday short form. Long, rolling, and unmistakably adventurous.
- Origin: English
- Meaning: Land of the Indians
- Pronunciation: in-dee-AN-ah
- Popularity: Indiana claimed #2,202 among U.S. boys in 2025.
Indie
Indie has gone from nickname to standalone in a hurry: it is the fastest rising I name for boys in the federal data, up roughly 658 percent on the last ten years of births compared with the ten before them. It ranked #634 in 2025. Whether it reads as Indiana Jones or as independent music depends entirely on the parents. Either way it is short, unisex, and easy to love.
- Origin: English
- Meaning: Land of the Indians
- Pronunciation: IN-dee
- Variations: Indy
- Popularity: Federal data placed Indie at #634 among U.S. boys in 2025.
Indigo
Indigo names the deep blue between navy and violet, the dye that moved along trade routes for centuries before chemistry replaced it. It has been rising for boys and girls alike since the 1990s, and its U.S. rank of #854 in 2025 is the highest it has ever reached. Color names tend to read soft, but the hard G in the middle keeps this one grounded. It sits comfortably next to nature names like Rowan or Wren on a sibling set.
- Origin: English
- Meaning: Deep blue
- Pronunciation: IN-di-go
- Popularity: Indigo held the #854 spot among U.S. boys in 2025.
Indra
Indra is the warrior god of sky, storm, and rain in Hindu mythology, wielder of the thunderbolt and king of the Devas. The name breaks down to indu, a drop, plus ra, possessing, which is a poetic way of saying he holds the rain. It ranked #9,713 in the U.S. in 2025, well below its 1967 peak of #3,389. A fitting choice for a boy who arrives during a downpour.
- Origin: Sanskrit
- Meaning: Possessing drops of rain
- Pronunciation: IN-dra
- Variations: Inderjeet, Inderjit, Inder
- Popularity: Indra ranked #9,713 in the U.S. in 2025, down from a #3,389 high in 1967.
Indrajit
Indrajit means conqueror of Indra, a title given by the god Brahma to the warrior who defeated the rain god in battle. It is a name that announces an achievement rather than a hope, which is unusual and rather bold. Three syllables land with a drumbeat, in-druh-JEET. It has no U.S. ranking, so an American Indrajit would be entirely on his own.
- Origin: Sanskrit
- Meaning: Conqueror of Indra
- Pronunciation: in-druh-JEET
- Variations: Inderjeet, Inderjit
Infinite
Infinite is a word name in the tradition of Legend and Messiah, pointing at boundless potential rather than any origin story. It is modern, confident, and completely unambiguous about its meaning. Records show it in U.S. use as recently as 2024, though it has never been common. Finn is the escape hatch for the days a four-syllable abstraction feels like a lot.
- Origin: English
- Meaning: Boundless
- Pronunciation: IN-fuh-nit
- Variations: Infinito, Infinitum
- Popularity: Infinite last appeared in U.S. data at #10,294 in 2024. Its best year was 1999, at #5,794.
Inge
Inge traces to the Germanic god Ing, an older name for Freyr, and means something close to Ing’s protection. Several 12th century Norwegian kings carried it, including Inge I. In Scandinavia it now leans feminine, while its history is thoroughly masculine, so this is a name that asks you to know its background. It last appeared in U.S. records in 2021.
- Origin: Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, German
- Meaning: Ing’s protection
- Pronunciation: ING-eh, ING-ah
- Namesakes: Inge I of Norway, a Norwegian king in the 12th-century.
- Popularity: U.S. records last placed Inge at #16,185 back in 2021, well off its 1931 peak of #1,913.
Ingram
Ingram pairs the same god Ing with the raven, one of Norse mythology’s watchful birds. It served as an English surname for centuries, which is why it sounds like a family name worn as a first. Its U.S. history is genuinely old, first charting in 1883, and it last appeared in 2024. Vintage without being overused is a hard combination to find, and this one has it.
- Origin: Germanic
- Meaning: Ing’s raven
- Pronunciation: IN-gram
- Variations: Ingmar, Ingraham
- Namesakes: Ingram Frizer, a 16th-century English merchant and alleged assassin of playwright Christopher Marlowe.
- Popularity: Ingram’s last U.S. appearance came in 2024, at #9,337, down from a #2,230 peak in 1917.
Inigo
Inigo is the Spanish name behind Ignatius, and for most English speakers it arrives via The Princess Bride and Inigo Montoya’s single-minded quest. Architect Inigo Jones brought classical design to England and Wales four centuries earlier, so it has a serious history underneath the movie. It ranked #7,877 in the U.S. in 2025, below its 2015 high of #5,603. Expect the film quote at least once a year.
- Origin: Spanish, English
- Meaning: My love, fiery
- Pronunciation: IN-ee-go
- Variations: Íñigo, Eneko
- Namesakes: Inigo Jones, the first major architect in England and Wales in the early modern period.
- Popularity: Federal data placed Inigo at #7,877 among U.S. boys in 2025.
Innes
Innes is the Anglicized form of the Gaelic Aonghas, built from oen, one, and guss, force, so it reads as one strength. It remains widely used in Scotland, where it works for boys and girls, and Welsh producer Innes Lloyd carried it through decades of BBC drama. The federal U.S. dataset has never listed it, so it stays a genuine import here. Soft ending, firm meaning, no pronunciation trouble.
- Origin: Scottish
- Meaning: One strength
- Pronunciation: IN-ess
- Variations: Inis, Innis
- Namesakes: Innes Lloyd, a Welsh television producer who produced series like Doctor Who and Talking Heads.
Innocent
Innocent describes someone unspoiled and unsuspecting. Saint Innocent of Alaska, a Russian Orthodox missionary, became the first Orthodox bishop in the Americas while carrying it. The name is common in parts of West and Central Africa and rare almost everywhere else, and its last U.S. appearance was 2023.
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: Innocent
- Pronunciation: IN-uh-cent
- Variations: Innocenzo, Innocentius
- Popularity: U.S. records last placed Innocent at #11,371 back in 2023.
Ioab
Ioab is a Greek and Latin spelling of Joab, the general who commanded King David’s army and served him with a loyalty that outlasted his own judgment. The meaning, God is father, is gentler than the man’s record. Spelled this way it becomes a genuinely uncommon biblical name for their son. U.S. name records have never listed the variant.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: God is father
- Pronunciation: ee-OH-ab
- Variations: Joab, Yoav, Yoab
Ioan
Ioan is the Romanian and Welsh form of John, and Welsh actor Ioan Gruffudd has spent two decades teaching English speakers to say it. It is genuinely common in Romania and Wales while staying rare here, ranking #11,185 in the U.S. in 2025. The two-syllable pronunciation, YO-an, surprises people who expect Ian. That small surprise is most of the appeal.
- Origin: Romanian, Welsh, Hebrew
- Meaning: God is gracious
- Pronunciation: YO-an, ee-OHN
- Variations: John, Ivan, Ian
- Namesakes: Ioan Gruffudd, a Welsh actor known for his roles in Fantastic Four and King Arthur.
- Popularity: Ioan’s U.S. rank stood at #11,185 in 2025.
Ioannes
Ioannes is the Greek form of John, the spelling used for the apostle in the earliest Gospel manuscripts. Ioannes Chrysostomos, the fourth century archbishop of Constantinople remembered for his preaching, is its most famous bearer. Four syllables make it formal, though John, Ian, and Ivan all descend from it if you want something shorter on the birth certificate. It does not appear in U.S. rankings.
- Origin: Greek, Latin
- Meaning: God is gracious
- Pronunciation: ee-OH-nes, yoo-AH-nis
- Variations: Johannes, John
- Namesakes: Ioannes Chrysostomos, an archbishop of Constantinople in the 4th century.
Ioel
Ioel is the Greek Old Testament form of Joel, the prophet whose short book describes a locust plague and a drought across Judah. The meaning, Yahweh is God, is the same in either spelling. This version keeps the familiar sound while looking like something out of a much older manuscript. No U.S. records list it.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Yahweh is God
- Pronunciation: eye-oh-el
- Variations: Joel
Iokua
Iokua is the Hawaiian form of Joshua, the companion of Moses who led the Israelites into Canaan. Hawaiian adaptations of biblical names date to the missionary era and now function as a distinct naming tradition of their own. The vowel-rich sound, ee-OH-koo-ah, is a long way from Josh and all the better for it. Its last U.S. appearance came in 2022.
- Origin: Hawaiian
- Meaning: God is salvation
- Pronunciation: ee-OH-koo-ah
- Variations: Joshua, Yeshua
- Popularity: The most recent U.S. showing for Iokua was #10,212 in 2022.
Ion
Ion belongs to Greek myth as the son of Apollo and Creusa and the founder of the Ionian people, and to chemistry as an atom carrying an electrical charge. Romanian playwright Ion Luca Caragiale gave it a literary life in Eastern Europe. Two ways to say it, Eye-on and EE-on, mean you will be correcting people occasionally. Its 2025 U.S. rank of #6,250 keeps it well outside common use.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Unknown
- Pronunciation: Eye-on, EE-on
- Namesakes: Ion Luca Caragiale, a Romanian playwright and author known for his satirical works.
- Popularity: Ion ranked #6,250 in the U.S. in 2025, well off the #3,741 mark it hit in 1969.
Ionathan
Ionathan is how Jonathan appears in the Latin and Greek Old Testament, meaning God has given. The biblical Jonathan, son of King Saul, chose his friendship with David over his own claim to the throne, which makes this a name about loyalty. The older spelling gives a familiar classic a scholarly turn while keeping every usual nickname available. U.S. records have never listed it.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: God has given
- Pronunciation: eye-OH-nuh-thun
- Variations: Jehonathan, Jonathan
Iorwerth
Iorwerth is thoroughly Welsh, meaning handsome lord, and it belonged to medieval princes of Gwynedd including Iorwerth Drwyndwn and Iorwerth ap Bleddyn. It is still used in Wales as a deliberate nod to heritage. The pronunciation, YOR-werth, is easier than the spelling suggests, and Iori works as a short form. Nothing about it appears in U.S. data.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: Handsome lord
- Pronunciation: YOR-werth
- Variations: Iorath, Iorworth
- Namesakes: Iorwerth ap Owain, a 12th-century Welsh prince and ruler of Gwynedd.
Iovis
Iovis is the Latin genitive of Jupiter, king of the Roman gods and master of sky and thunder, also known as Jove. That makes it a name about authority rather than one that merely sounds authoritative. It has never appeared in U.S. birth records, which is unsurprising for a form this close to its classical source. Roman mythology fans looking past Marcus and Atticus should give it a look.
- Origin: Latin, Roman
- Meaning: Jupiter
- Pronunciation: YO-wees
- Variations: Jove
Ira
Ira turns up several times in the Hebrew Bible, including Ira the Jairite and Ira the son of Ikkesh, both among David’s warriors. Lyricist Ira Gershwin wrote the words to I Got Rhythm and The Man I Love, which is a fine legacy for a two-syllable name. It peaked at #146 back in 1915 and still ranked #822 in 2025, so it never fully left. Short, unisex, and quietly literary.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Watchful
- Pronunciation: I-ruh
- Namesakes: Ira Gershwin, an American lyricist, and songwriter who wrote the songs I Got Rhythm, Embraceable You, and The Man I Love.
- Popularity: Ira ranked #822 in the U.S. in 2025. Its best year was 1915, at #146.
Iremide
Iremide comes from Yoruba and translates roughly to my goodness has come, a sentence rather than a label. It is the kind of name given in gratitude, marking what the child’s arrival meant to the family. It ranked #6,599 in the U.S. in 2025, off its 2020 peak of #4,601. Four syllables sound natural together and rarely get shortened by accident.
- Origin: Yoruba
- Meaning: My goodness has come
- Pronunciation: ee-ray-ME-day
- Popularity: Iremide held the #6,599 spot among U.S. boys in 2025.
Irenaeus
Irenaeus means peaceful, which is faintly ironic for a second century bishop of Lyons who spent his career arguing against heresy in writing, in a work called Against Heresies. The name entered U.S. records for the first time only in 2025, at #12,747, so American use is brand new. Ren is the modern short form hiding inside it.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Peaceful
- Pronunciation: eye-ree-NAY-us
- Variations: Ireneus, Eireneus
- Namesakes: Saint Irenaeus, an early Christian theologian and bishop.
- Popularity: In 2025, U.S. records showed Irenaeus at #12,747 for boys.
Irie
Irie is Jamaican Patois, used in Rastafarian speech to mean everything from positive to all is well. It is less a traditional given name than a mood someone decided to name a child after, and it works. It ranked #2,009 in the U.S. in 2025, off its 2021 peak of #1,298. Two syllables, one bright vowel, no baggage.
- Origin: Jamaican
- Meaning: Positive
- Pronunciation: eye-REE
- Popularity: In 2025, Irie sat at #2,009 in the U.S. rankings.
Irvin
Irvin has been in continuous American use since 1880 and peaked at #164 in 1916. It is the steepest falling I name in the current data, down about 55 percent on the last decade of births compared with the one before. That decline is exactly why it now sounds fresh rather than dated: at #1,937 in 2025 there is room. Psychiatrist and novelist Irvin D. Yalom keeps it in print.
- Origin: English, Scottish
- Meaning: Green water, a friend of boars
- Pronunciation: UR-vin
- Variations: Irving, Irwin
- Namesakes: Irvin D. Yalom, an American psychiatrist and author who works at Stanford University.
- Popularity: Irvin ranked #1,937 in the U.S. in 2025. Its best year was 1916, at #164.
Irvine
Irvine comes from the Gaelic elements ir, green or fresh, and abhan, river, and began as a Scottish surname for people living near the River Irvine. Novelist Irvine Welsh, who wrote Trainspotting, is its most recognizable bearer. It is also a city in southern California, which gives American ears a second association. It last charted here in 2006 and peaked at #1,144 in 1914.
- Origin: Scottish
- Meaning: Green water
- Pronunciation: UR-vien
- Variations: Irving
- Namesakes: Irvine Welsh, a Scottish novelist known for his book, Trainspotting.
- Popularity: The most recent U.S. showing for Irvine was #11,174 in 2006, a long way from its 1914 peak of #1,144.
Irving
Irving started as a Scottish surname and became a first name in the 19th century, largely thanks to Washington Irving of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle fame. Composer Irving Berlin then carried it through the American songbook. It peaked at #100 in 1914 and ranked #1,783 in 2025, making it one of the more recoverable vintage picks here. A writer’s name, plainly.
- Origin: Scottish
- Meaning: Green water
- Pronunciation: UR-ving
- Variations: Irvin
- Namesakes: Irving Berlin, an American composer known for his 1911 hit Alexander’s Ragtime Band.
- Popularity: Irving ranked #1,783 in the U.S. in 2025, down from its 1914 peak of #100.
Irwin
Irwin means boar friend in Old English, a compound from a world where naming a child after a wild animal was a compliment. Its American peak came in 1931 at #245, and it ranked #6,600 in 2025. Steve Irwin, the Australian zoologist and conservationist, gave the surname a global second life. For animal-loving families it is an easy yes.
- Origin: English
- Meaning: Boar friend
- Pronunciation: UR-win
- Namesakes: Irwin Shaw, an American playwright and novelist known for his books The Young Lions and Rich Man, Poor Man.
- Popularity: Irwin ranked #6,600 in the U.S. in 2025, well off the #245 mark it hit in 1931.
Isaac
Isaac is the highest ranked I name for U.S. boys, at #47 in 2025 according to federal birth data, and it has sat in the top 100 for decades without ever feeling overexposed. The Hebrew meaning, he will laugh, comes from Sarah’s reaction to being told she would have a son in old age. Sir Isaac Newton and Isaac Asimov give it range across physics and fiction. Ike and Zac cover both the vintage and the modern end.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: He will laugh
- Pronunciation: EYE-zahk, EE-ZAK
- Variations: Isaak, Izaak, Isaque
- Namesakes: Isaac Newton, an English physicist and mathematician who was a key figure during the Scientific Revolution.
- Popularity: In 2025, Isaac sat at #47 in the U.S. rankings, the top I name on this list.
Isaiah
Isaiah comes from the Hebrew Yeshayahu, God is salvation, and belonged to the prophet whose book runs through both Jewish and Christian scripture. It ranked #57 for U.S. boys in 2025, one of only three I names in the top 100. The three-syllable rhythm carries a warmth that many biblical picks miss. Zay and Izzy are the standard short forms.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: God is salvation
- Pronunciation: ie-ZAY-ah, ie-ZIE-ah
- Variations: Isaias
- Namesakes: Isaiah Thomas, an American basketball player for the Charlotte Hornets.
- Popularity: U.S. birth data put Isaiah at #57 in 2025.
Isaias
Isaias is the Spanish and Portuguese form of Isaiah, and it is a trendy name in Spanish-speaking countries. It reached #426 in the U.S. in 2025, the best rank it has ever posted, so its climb is real rather than anecdotal. The stress falls differently from Isaiah, ee-SAH-ee-ahs, which is worth practicing before you commit. Same meaning, different music.
- Origin: Spanish, Portuguese, Hebrew
- Meaning: God is salvation
- Pronunciation: ee-SAH-ee-ahs, ee-sah-EE-ahs
- Variations: Isaiah
- Namesakes: Isaias Afwerki, the President of Eritrea.
- Popularity: Isaias claimed #426 among U.S. boys in 2025.
Isandro
Isandro joins the Greek isos, equal, with aner, man, giving something close to equal to man. It has the confident shape of Alejandro or Leandro without arriving with any of their crowds. It ranked #4,601 in the U.S. in 2025, its highest showing so far. The rolling AHN sound in the middle gives it a confident, unhurried cadence.
- Origin: Spanish, Portuguese, Greek
- Meaning: Like a man
- Pronunciation: ee-SAN-dro
- Variations: Isander
- Popularity: In 2025, Isandro sat at #4,601 in the U.S. rankings.
Isaque
Isaque is the Portuguese spelling of Isaac, found across Portugal and Brazil, and it keeps the same meaning of he will laugh. The QUE ending is what makes it, turning a familiar name into something with a distinctly Lusophone look. It last charted in the U.S. in 2022. Families bridging Brazilian and American households often land here.
- Origin: Portuguese, Hebrew
- Meaning: He will laugh
- Pronunciation: ee-SAH-kee
- Variations: Issac, Isaak
- Popularity: Isaque last showed up in U.S. records at #13,097 in 2022.
Isha
Isha is a Sanskrit name meaning lord or master, and it is another name for Shiva, the protector of the universe in Hindu belief. It works for boys and girls, which is common among Sanskrit names built from divine epithets. It ranked #1,276 in the U.S. in 2025, close to its 2002 high. Two soft syllables that never need spelling twice.
- Origin: Sanskrit
- Meaning: Lord
- Pronunciation: EE-sha
- Variations: Ishan, Ish, Ishay
- Popularity: U.S. birth data put Isha at #1,276 in 2025.
Ishana
Ishana is a Sanskrit name for the ruler of the northeast direction, one of the guardians of the compass points in Hindu cosmology, and it also carries the sense of sunrise. Direction and dawn together make for a hopeful pairing. It ranked #9,102 in the U.S. in 2025, off its 2010 peak of #5,161. Ish and Shan both trim it neatly.
- Origin: Sanskrit
- Meaning: Sunrise
- Pronunciation: ee-SHAHN
- Variations: Ishaan, Eshaan, Ishan
- Popularity: Ishana claimed #9,102 among U.S. boys in 2025.
Isidore
Isidore comes from the Greek Isidoros, gift of Isis, tying a Christian saint’s name back to an Egyptian goddess of magic and motherhood. Saint Isidore of Seville compiled an encyclopedia of everything known in the sixth century, which makes this a scholar’s name in the most literal sense. It peaked at #379 in 1914 and ranked #3,607 in 2025. Saint Isidore’s encyclopedia keeps it in scholarly company.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Gift of Isis
- Pronunciation: IZ-ah-dawr
- Variations: Isidor
- Namesakes: Saint Isidore of Seville, a 6th-century archbishop, historian, and theologian.
- Popularity: Isidore ranked #3,607 in the U.S. in 2025, down from its 1914 peak of #379.
Isidro
Isidro is the Spanish form of Isidore and belongs to Saint Isidore the Laborer, the patron saint of farmers. It has been steadily used in Spanish-speaking communities in the U.S., ranking #1,815 in 2025 after a 1984 peak of #787. Three syllables that move quickly, ee-SEE-dro. A working man’s saint and a warm, unpretentious name.
- Origin: Spanish, Greek
- Meaning: Gift of Isis
- Pronunciation: ee-SEE-dro
- Variations: Isidore
- Namesakes: Isidro Sanchez, a Mexican-Canadian professional soccer coach and former player.
- Popularity: Isidro ranked #1,815 in the U.S. in 2025, well off the #787 mark it hit in 1984.
Iskandar
Iskandar is how Alexander traveled east, adopted into Arabic, Malay, and Indonesian from the Greek and meaning defender of men. Alexander the Great appears in Persian and Malay literature under this name, sometimes as a legendary prophet-king. It carries the same authority as Alexander with a completely different sound, and U.S. records have not shown it since 2020.
- Origin: Arabic, Greek
- Meaning: Defender of men
- Pronunciation: ees-KAN-dar
- Variations: Iskander
- Popularity: Iskandar’s last U.S. appearance came in 2020, at #11,136.
Ismail
Ismail is the Arabic form of Ishmael, God will hear, and in Islamic tradition he is the son Abraham was asked to sacrifice. It is used across Muslim-majority countries and communities and ranked #1,065 in the U.S. in 2025, the highest it has ever placed. The stress lands on the last syllable, ees-ma-EEL. Sam and Mali both work as everyday short forms.
- Origin: Arabic, Hebrew
- Meaning: God will hear
- Pronunciation: ees-ma-EEL
- Variations: Ishmael, Esmail, Ismaeel, Isma’il
- Popularity: The U.S. rank for Ismail in 2025 was #1,065.
Isom
Isom is a variant of Isham, an English village name built from the river Ise and the Anglo-Saxon ham, settlement, so it means roughly settlement by the river. It arrived in America as a surname and settled in as a first name in the late 1800s, peaking at #1,084 in 1916. It still charts, at #9,228 in 2025. Quiet, weathered, and easy to say.
- Origin: English
- Meaning: Settlement by the river
- Pronunciation: AY-suhm
- Variations: Isham
- Popularity: Isom ranked #9,228 in the U.S. in 2025, well off the #1,084 mark it hit in 1916.
Israel
Israel is the name given to Jacob after he wrestled through the night with a stranger and would not let go, and it means God contends. Hawaiian musician Israel Kamakawiwo’ole made his ukulele version of Over the Rainbow into a widely known recording that still gets airplay decades later. It ranked #315 in the U.S. in 2025, comfortably inside the top 500 where it has sat for decades. Izzy is the near-universal nickname.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: God contends
- Pronunciation: IZ-ray-ahl
- Variations: Iser, Issur, Yisroel
- Namesakes: Israel Kamakawiwo’ole, a Hawaiian musician known for his rendition of Somewhere Over the Rainbow.
- Popularity: U.S. birth data put Israel at #315 in 2025.
Itachi
Itachi means weasel in Japanese, an animal Japanese folklore associates with bad luck and shape-shifting mischief. It is a natural pick for anime fans, who know it from Itachi Uchiha of Naruto, and that association is doing all the work here. It is the rarest charted I name for boys in the latest federal data, at #12,762 in 2025, roughly one boy in 333,000. A deep-cut pick that a certain kind of parent will recognize instantly.
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Weasel
- Pronunciation: ee-TAH-chee
- Popularity: Itachi’s 2025 U.S. rank was #12,762.
Itai
Itai is Hebrew for with me, and it belonged to a commander in King David’s army who stayed at the king’s side through a rebellion. In Jewish practice a name can be taken on at conversion or during illness, and Itai is one that gets chosen for its closeness. It ranked #4,602 in the U.S. in 2025. Two syllables, one warm meaning, and no obvious American twin.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: With me
- Pronunciation: ee-TAI
- Variations: Ittai, Ithai
- Popularity: Itai’s U.S. rank in 2025 was #4,602.
Italus
Italus comes from Roman mythology as the father of Romulus and Remus, the twins who founded Rome, and the name simply means of Italy. It is a heritage name in the plainest sense, honoring a country by way of its oldest story. Nothing in U.S. name records lists it. The -us ending marks it plainly as Roman.
- Origin: Roman, Italian, Latin
- Meaning: Of Italy
- Pronunciation: EE-ta-loos
- Variations: Italio
Ithamar
Ithamar means date palm island in Hebrew and belonged to a son of Aaron who oversaw the tabernacle. The imagery is tropical, which is not a word that comes up often with Old Testament names. Three syllables ending on a firm R keep it from turning soft. It has never charted in the United States.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Date palm island
- Pronunciation: ITH-uh-mar
Itzal
Itzal is Basque for shadow, from the country between Spain and France that has quietly produced some of Europe’s most distinctive names. The Z gives it an edge that its gentle meaning does not, which is part of why it works as a mysterious name. It does not appear in U.S. records at all. For parents after something short, sharp, and genuinely unfamiliar, it is hard to beat.
- Origin: Basque
- Meaning: Shadow
- Pronunciation: EET-sahl
Ivan
Ivan is the Slavic form of John, meaning God is gracious, and it has been used across Russia and the Balkans for centuries. Physiologist Ivan Pavlov and novelist Ivan Turgenev both carried it into the wider world; Ivan the Terrible is the bearer nobody puts on a nursery wall. It ranked #163 in the U.S. in 2025 and has never been out of use since 1880. Familiar everywhere, common nowhere.
- Origin: Slavic, Greek, Hebrew
- Meaning: God is gracious
- Pronunciation: EYE-vuhn
- Variations: Jovan
- Namesakes: Ivan Pavlov, a Russian experimental neurologist who discovered classical conditioning.
- Popularity: The U.S. rank for Ivan in 2025 was #163.
Iverson
Iverson means son of Iver, and Iver in turn comes from the Norse for archer, so the name reaches back to bows and yew wood. Post Malone’s White Iverson pulled it into hip-hop and pushed it up the charts, which is why this old-fashioned name now sounds current. It ranked #1,413 in the U.S. in 2025, close to its all-time best. Ive and Sonny both work as short forms.
- Origin: English
- Meaning: Son of Iver
- Pronunciation: EYE-vur-son
- Popularity: Iverson’s U.S. rank reached #1,413 in 2025.
Ivo
Ivo comes from the Germanic iwa, yew tree, a wood used for longbows and a tree long associated with long life. Saint Ivo of Kermartin, the patron saint of lawyers, is its best-known bearer, and the name is also used as a Balkan form of Ivan. It has never cracked the U.S. top 1,000, ranking #7,370 in 2025. Three letters, two syllables, and no chance of a duplicate in preschool.
- Origin: Germanic
- Meaning: Yew tree
- Pronunciation: EYE-vo, EE-vo
- Variations: Yvo
- Namesakes: Saint Ivo of Kermartin, the patron saint of lawyers.
- Popularity: Ivo ranked #7,370 in the U.S. in 2025, with its strongest showing at #1,629 back in 1913.
Ivor
Ivor joins the Old Norse yr, yew or bow, with herr, army, making it a fairly literal archer-warrior name. Scandinavian settlers carried it into Britain during the Middle Ages, and Welsh composer Ivor Novello lent it a theatrical polish that still lingers. It ranked #7,884 in the U.S. in 2025, a long way below its 1918 peak of #1,628. Norse-rooted and British-flavored at the same time.
- Origin: Old Norse
- Meaning: Bowman
- Pronunciation: EYE-vor, EE-vor
- Variations: Iver
- Namesakes: Ivor Novello, a Welsh composer and actor.
- Popularity: Ivor ranked #7,884 in the U.S. in 2025, down from a #1,628 high in 1918.
Ivory
Ivory refers to the pale material of an elephant’s tusks and, by extension, to anything that shade of white. It leans strongly female today, though its 2025 rank of #378 for boys is the highest it has ever reached. Parents who like Ivy, Ivan, and word names generally tend to end up here. It reads soft, so it pairs well with a sturdier middle name.
- Origin: English
- Meaning: Pale white
- Pronunciation: EYE-vree
- Popularity: Federal data placed Ivory at #378 among U.S. boys in 2025.
Izzy
Izzy started as the shortest possible way out of Israel, Isidore, or Isaac and has become a name in its own right. It ranked #1,903 in the U.S. in 2025 for boys, less common than the girls’ usage but far from unheard of. The double Z gives it a cheerfulness that its longer parents do not have. Plenty of families put Isaac on the certificate and Izzy on everything else.
- Origin: English, Hebrew, Greek
- Meaning: God contends, gift of Isis
- Pronunciation: IZ-ee
- Popularity: U.S. birth data put Izzy at #1,903 in 2025.
