Names with 2 Syllables

This is a list of names in which the number of syllables is 2.
gender
usage
syllables
Hiba f Arabic
Means "gift" in Arabic, a derivative of وهب (wahaba) meaning "to give".
Hicham m Arabic (Maghrebi)
Alternate transcription of Arabic هشام (see Hisham) chiefly used in North Africa.
Hicran f Turkish, Azerbaijani
Means "separation, parting" in Turkish and Azerbaijani (of Arabic origin).
Hikmet m Turkish
Turkish form of Hikmat.
Hilaire m French
French form of Hilarius.
Hilal m & f Arabic, Turkish
Means "crescent moon" in Arabic, also referring to the new moon on the Islamic calendar. As a given name it is typically masculine in Arabic and feminine in Turkish.
Hilda f English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Spanish, Hungarian, Anglo-Saxon (Latinized), Germanic
Originally a short form of names containing the Old Frankish element hildi, Old High German hilt, Old English hild meaning "battle" (Proto-Germanic *hildiz). The short form was used for both Old English and continental Germanic names. Saint Hilda (or Hild) of Whitby was a 7th-century English saint and abbess. The name became rare in England during the later Middle Ages, but was revived in the 19th century.
Hilde f German, Dutch, Norwegian
German, Dutch and Norwegian variant of Hilda.
Hildred f & m English
Possibly from the Old English masculine name Hildræd, which was composed of the elements hild "battle" and ræd "counsel, advice". This name was revived in the late 19th century, probably because of its similarity to the popular names Hilda and Mildred.
Hilja f Finnish, Estonian
Means "silent, quiet" in Finnish and Estonian (a rare poetic word).
Hilla f Finnish
Short form of names beginning with Hil. It also means "cloudberry" in Finnish.
Hiltraud f German
Variant of Hiltrud.
Hiltrud f German
Means "strength in battle", derived from the Old German elements hilt "battle" and drud "strength".
Hina f Japanese
From Japanese (hi) meaning "light, sun" or (hi) meaning "sun, day" combined with (na) meaning "vegetables, greens". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Hine f Maori
Means "girl" in Maori.
Hinrich m Low German
Low German form of Heinrich.
Hira 1 f & m Urdu, Nepali, Punjabi, Gujarati, Hindi
Derived from Sanskrit हीर (hīra) meaning "diamond". It is typically feminine in Pakistan and unisex in India and Nepal.
Hiram m Biblical, English
From Phoenician 𐤇𐤓𐤌 (Ḥirom) meaning "exalted brother". This was the name of a king of Tyre according to the Old Testament. He may have reigned in the 10th century BC. As an English given name, Hiram came into use after the Protestant Reformation. In the 17th century the Puritans brought it to America, where it gained some currency.
Hisham m Arabic, Malay
Means "generous" in Arabic, ultimately from هشم (hashama) meaning "to crush". The meaning derives from the traditional Arab act of crushing bread into crumbs in order to share it. This was the name of an 8th-century caliph of the Umayyad dynasty in Spain.
Hjálmar m Icelandic, Faroese
Icelandic and Faroese form of Hjalmar.
Hjalmar m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
From the Old Norse name Hjálmarr meaning "helmeted warrior" from the element hjalmr "helmet" combined with herr "army, warrior".
Hjördís f Icelandic
Icelandic form of Hjördis.
Hjördis f Swedish
Swedish form of the Old Norse name Hjǫrdís meaning "sword goddess", derived from the elements hjǫrr "sword" and dís "goddess".
Hjörtur m Icelandic
Means "deer" in Icelandic.
Hoda f Persian, Arabic
Persian form of Huda, as well as an alternate Arabic transcription.
Hodei m Basque
Means "cloud" in Basque.
Hoebaer m Limburgish
Limburgish form of Hubert. Its spelling has been influenced by the French pronunciation of Hubert.
Holden m English (Modern)
From a surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "deep valley" in Old English. This is the name of the main character in J. D. Salinger's novel The Catcher in the Rye (1951), Holden Caulfield.
Holger m Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, German, Carolingian Cycle
From the Old Norse name Hólmgeirr, derived from the elements holmr "small island" and geirr "spear". In Scandinavia and Germany this is the usual name for the hero Ogier the Dane from medieval French romance.
Hollie f English
Variant of Holly.
Hollis m & f English
From an English surname that was derived from Middle English holis "holly trees". It was originally given to a person who lived near a group of those trees.
Holly f English
From the English word for the holly tree, ultimately derived from Old English holen. Holly Golightly is the main character in the novella Breakfast at Tiffany's (1958) by Truman Capote.
Homer m English, Ancient Greek (Anglicized)
From the Greek name Ὅμηρος (Homeros), derived from ὅμηρος (homeros) meaning "hostage, pledge". Homer was the Greek epic poet who wrote the Iliad, about the Trojan War, and the Odyssey, about Odysseus's journey home after the war. There is some debate about when he lived, or if he was even a real person, though most scholars place him in the 8th century BC. In the modern era, Homer has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world (chiefly in America) since the 18th century. This name is borne by the oafish cartoon father on the television series The Simpsons.
Honey f English (Rare)
Simply from the English word honey, ultimately from Old English hunig. This was originally a nickname for a sweet person.
Honor f & m English (Rare)
Variant of Honour, using the American spelling.
Honour f & m English (Rare)
From the English word honour, which is of Latin origin. This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans in the 17th century. It can also be viewed as a form of Honoria or Honorata, which are ultimately derived from the same source.
Honza m Czech
Czech form of Hans.
Hooda f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic هدى (see Huda).
Hopkin m Medieval English
Medieval diminutive of Hob.
Horace m English, French
English and French form of Horatius, and the name by which the Roman poet Quintus Horatius Flaccus is commonly known those languages. In the modern era it has been used as a given name since the Renaissance, in honour of the poet.
Hormazd m Persian Mythology
Persian variant form of Ahura Mazda.
Hormoz m Persian Mythology, Persian
Modern Persian form of Ahura Mazda.
Hortense f French, English
French form of Hortensia.
Horus m Egyptian Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Ὧρος (Horos), the Greek form of Egyptian ḥrw (reconstructed as Heru and other forms) possibly from ḥr "above, over" or ḥrj "distant". In Egyptian mythology Horus was a god of the sky and light, often depicted as a man with the head of a falcon. In some versions of the mythology he was the son of Osiris and Isis, and avenged his father's murder by killing his uncle Seth.
Hosam m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic حسام (see Husam).
Hoshi f Japanese
From Japanese (hoshi) meaning "star" or other kanji with the same pronunciation.
Hoshiko f Japanese
From Japanese (hoshi) meaning "star" and (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Hosni m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic حسني (see Husni).
Hossam m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic حسام (see Husam).
Hossein m Persian
Persian form of Husayn.
Houda f Arabic (Maghrebi)
Alternate transcription of Arabic هدى (see Huda) chiefly used in North Africa.
Houssam m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic حسام (see Husam).
Houston m English
From a Scottish surname meaning "Hugh's town". The original Houston is in Scotland near Glasgow, but this is also the name of a city in Texas, named after the Texas president Sam Houston (1793-1863).
Hovik m Armenian
Diminutive of Hovhannes.
Hovo m Armenian
Diminutive of Hovhannes.
Hovsep m Armenian
Armenian form of Joseph.
Howard m English
From an English surname that can derive from several different sources: the Anglo-Norman given name Huard, which was from the Germanic name Hughard; the Anglo-Scandinavian given name Haward, from the Old Norse name Hávarðr; or the Middle English term ewehirde meaning "ewe herder". This is the surname of a British noble family, members of which have held the title Duke of Norfolk from the 15th century to the present. A famous bearer of the given name was the American industrialist Howard Hughes (1905-1976).
Howie m English
Diminutive of Howard.
Hrefna f Icelandic, Old Norse
Feminine form of Hrafn.
Huangdi m Chinese Mythology
From Chinese (huáng) meaning "yellow" and () meaning "god, emperor". This is the Chinese name for the Yellow Emperor, a mythical ruler and deity who is said to have reigned in the 3rd millennium BC. He is regarded as the ancestor of the Chinese people.
Huanglong m Chinese Mythology
From Chinese (huáng) meaning "yellow" and (lóng) meaning "dragon". This is the Chinese name for the Yellow Dragon, who is considered the animal form of the mythical Yellow Emperor Huangdi.
Hubert m English, German, Dutch, French, Polish, Czech, Germanic
Means "bright heart", derived from the Old German elements hugu "mind, thought, spirit" and beraht "bright". Saint Hubert was an 8th-century bishop of Maastricht who is considered the patron saint of hunters. The Normans brought the name to England, where it replaced an Old English cognate Hygebeorht. It died out during the Middle Ages but was revived in the 19th century.
Hubrecht m Dutch (Archaic)
Dutch variant of Hubert.
Huda f Arabic
Means "right guidance" in Arabic, from the root هدى (hadā) meaning "to lead the right way, to guide".
Hudson m English
From an English surname meaning "son of Hudde". A famous bearer of the surname was the English explorer Henry Hudson (1570-1611).
Huey m English
Variant of Hughie.
Hughie m English
Diminutive of Hugh.
Hugo m Spanish, Portuguese, English, Dutch, German, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Germanic
Old German form of Hugh. As a surname it has belonged to the French author Victor Hugo (1802-1885), the writer of The Hunchback of Notre-Dame and Les Misérables.
Huguette f French
Feminine form of Hugues.
Hulda 2 f Biblical
Variant of Huldah.
Huldah f Biblical
Means "weasel, mole" in Hebrew. This name appears in the Old Testament belonging to a prophetess.
Humbert m French, German (Rare), English (Rare), Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements hun "bear cub" and beraht "bright". The Normans introduced this name to England, though it has always been uncommon there. It was the name of a 7th-century Frankish saint who founded Maroilles Abbey. It was also borne by two kings of Italy (called Umberto in Italian), who ruled in the 19th and 20th centuries. A notable fictional bearer is Humbert Humbert from Vladimir Nabokov's novel Lolita (1955).
Humphrey m English
From the Old German elements hun "bear cub" and fridu "peace". The Normans introduced this name to England, where it replaced the Old English cognate Hunfrith, and it was regularly used through the Middle Ages. A famous bearer was the American actor Humphrey Bogart (1899-1957), who starred in The Maltese Falcon and Casablanca.
Hunor m Hungarian
Derived from the ethnic term Hun, which refers to the nomadic people from Central Asia who expanded into Europe in the 4th century. The word Hun is from Latin Hunnus, which is possibly of Turkic origin. According to medieval Hungarian legend, the brothers Hunor and Magor were the ancestors of the Huns and the Magyars (Hungarians) respectively.
Hunter m & f English
From an English occupational surname for a hunter, derived from Old English hunta. A famous bearer was the eccentric American journalist Hunter S. Thompson (1937-2005).
Hurşit m Turkish
Turkish form of Khorshid.
Husain m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic حسين (see Husayn).
Husam m Arabic
Means "sword" in Arabic, a derivative of the verb حسم (ḥasama) meaning "to sever, to finish, to decide".
Husayn m Arabic
Diminutive of Hasan. Husayn ibn Ali (also commonly transliterated Hussein) was the son of Ali and the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad. His older brother was named Hasan. The massacre of Husayn and his family was a major event in the split between Shia and Sunni Muslims, which continues to this day. In more recent times this was the name of a king of Jordan (1935-1999).
Hüseyn m Azerbaijani
Azerbaijani form of Husayn.
Husna f Arabic
Means "more beautiful" in Arabic.
Husni m Arabic
Derived from Arabic حسْن (ḥusn) meaning "beauty, excellence, goodness".
Hüsnü m Turkish
Turkish form of Husni.
Hussain m Arabic, Urdu, Dhivehi
Alternate transcription of Arabic حسين (see Husayn), as well as the usual Urdu and Dhivehi transcription.
Hussein m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic حسين (see Husayn).
Huxley m English (Modern)
From an English surname that was derived from the name of a town in Cheshire. The final element is Old English leah "woodland, clearing", while the first element might be hux "insult, scorn". A famous bearer of the surname was the British author Aldous Huxley (1894-1963).
Hyacinthe m & f French
French masculine and feminine form of Hyacinthus.
Hydra f Astronomy, Greek Mythology
Means "water serpent" in Greek, related to ὕδωρ (hydor) meaning "water". In Greek myth this was the name of a many-headed Lernaean serpent slain by Herakles. It is also the name of a northern constellation, as well as a moon of Pluto.
Hye-Jin f Korean
From Sino-Korean (hye) meaning "bright, intelligent" or (hye) meaning "favour, benefit" combined with (jin) meaning "precious, rare". This name can be formed by a variety of other hanja character combinations as well.
Hyeon-Jeong f Korean
From Sino-Korean (hyeon) meaning "virtuous, worthy, able" or (hyeon) meaning "shine, glitter" combined with (jeong) meaning "courtyard" or (jeong) meaning "virtuous, chaste, loyal". This name can be formed by other hanja character combinations as well.
Hyeon-Ju f & m Korean
From Sino-Korean (hyeon) meaning "virtuous, worthy, able" and (ju) meaning "jewel, pearl". This name can be formed by other hanja character combinations as well.
Hyeon-U m Korean
From Sino-Korean (hyeon) meaning "virtuous, worthy, able" or (hyeon) meaning "manifest, clear" combined with (u) meaning "divine intervention, protection" or (u) meaning "rain". This name can be formed by other hanja character combinations as well.
Hynek m Czech
Diminutive of Heinrich.
Hyrum m English (Rare)
Variant of Hiram. This name was borne by Hyrum Smith (1800-1844), an early leader within the Mormon Church.
Hyun-Joo f & m Korean
Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 현주 (see Hyeon-Ju).
Hyun-Jung f & m Korean
Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 현정 (see Hyeon-Jeong).
Hyun-Woo m Korean
Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 현우 (see Hyeon-U).
Hywel m Welsh
From Old Welsh Higuel meaning "eminent, prominent" (literally "well-seen"). This was the name of a few Welsh kings, including the 10th-century Hywel the Good who was known for establishing laws.
Iago m Welsh, Galician, Portuguese
Welsh and Galician form of Iacobus (see James). This was the name of two early Welsh kings of Gwynedd. It is also the name of the villain in Shakespeare's tragedy Othello (1603).
Iain m Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Iohannes (see John).
Ian m Scottish, English
Anglicized form of Scottish Gaelic Iain, itself from Latin Iohannes (see John). It became popular in the United Kingdom outside of Scotland in the first half of the 20th century, but did not begin catching on in America until the 1960s.
Ianto m Welsh
Diminutive of Ifan.
Ianus m Roman Mythology
Latin form of Janus.
Iasmim f Portuguese (Brazilian, Modern)
Portuguese (mainly Brazilian) variant of Yasmin.
Ibai m Basque
Means "river" in Basque.
Ibán m Spanish
Spanish form of Iban.
Iban m Basque
Basque variant form of John.
Ibbie f English
Diminutive of Isabel.
Ida f English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Italian, French, Polish, Finnish, Hungarian, Slovak, Slovene, Germanic
Derived from the Germanic element id possibly meaning "work, labour" (Proto-Germanic *idiz). The Normans brought this name to England, though it eventually died out there in the Middle Ages. It was strongly revived in the 19th century, in part due to the heroine in Alfred Tennyson's poem The Princess (1847), which was later adapted into the play Princess Ida (1884) by Gilbert and Sullivan.... [more]
Íde f Irish
From Old Irish Íte, possibly derived from ítu meaning "thirst". This was the name of a 6th-century Irish nun, the patron saint of Killeedy.
Idelle f English (Rare)
Elaboration of Ida.
Idris 1 m Arabic, Malay, Indonesian
Possibly means "interpreter, teacher" in Arabic, related to the root درس (darasa) meaning "to study, to learn". According to the Quran this was the name of an ancient prophet. He is traditionally equated with the Hebrew prophet Enoch.
Iefan m Welsh (Rare)
Older Welsh form of Ifan.
Ieuan m Welsh
Medieval Welsh form of Iohannes (see John), revived in the 19th century.
Ifan m Welsh
Modern form of Ieuan, a medieval Welsh form of Iohannes (see John).
Iga f Polish
Diminutive of Jadwiga or Ignacja.
Ige f & m Yoruba
Means "born feet first" in Yoruba.
Iggy m English
Diminutive of Ignatius.
Iglė f Lithuanian (Modern)
From the name of a small lake (also called Ygla) in southwestern Lithuania. It was popularized after 2016 by the singer Iglė Bernotaitytė (1999-).
Ignaas m Dutch (Rare)
Dutch form of Ignatius.
Ignác m Hungarian, Slovak, Czech
Hungarian, Slovak and Czech form of Ignatius.
Ignace m French
French form of Ignatius.
Ignatz m German (Rare)
German form of Ignatius.
Ignaz m German (Rare)
German form of Ignatius.
Igon m Basque (Rare)
Masculine form of Igone.
Igor m Russian, Polish, Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Slovak, Czech, Italian, Portuguese, Basque
Russian form of the Old Norse name Yngvarr (see Ingvar). The Varangians brought it with them when they began settling in Eastern Europe in the 9th century. It was borne by two grand princes of Kyiv, notably Igor I the son of Rurik and the husband of Saint Olga. Other famous bearers include Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971), a Russian composer known for The Rite of Spring, and Igor Sikorsky (1889-1972), the Russian-American designer of the first successful helicopter.
Ihab m Arabic
Means "gift" in Arabic, derived from وهب (wahaba) meaning "to give".
Ihar m Belarusian
Belarusian form of Igor.
Ihor m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Igor.
İhsan m Turkish
Turkish form of Ihsan.
Ihsan m Arabic, Urdu, Indonesian
Means "charity, good deed" in Arabic, from the root حسن (ḥasuna) meaning "to be good".
Iida f Finnish
Finnish form of Ida.
Iikka m Finnish
Finnish diminutive of Isaac.
Iina 1 f Finnish
Short form of names ending with iina.
Iines f Finnish
Finnish form of Agnes.
Iiris f Finnish
Finnish form of Iris.
Iiro m Finnish
Finnish diminutive of Isaac.
Iivo m Finnish
Finnish form of Ivor.
IJsbrand m Dutch (Rare)
Derived from the Old German elements is "ice" and brant "fire, torch, sword".
I-Jun m Korean
From Sino-Korean (i) meaning "advantage, benefit" combined with (jun) meaning "approve, permit". This name can be formed by other hanja characters as well.
Iker m Basque
Means "visitation" in Basque. It is an equivalent of the Spanish name Visitación, coined by Sabino Arana in his 1910 list of Basque saints names.
Ikraam f & m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic إكرام (see Ikram).
Ikram f & m Arabic, Urdu
Means "honour" in Arabic, from the root كرم (karuma) meaning "to be generous".
Ilda f Italian
Italian form of Hilda.
Ildi f Hungarian
Hungarian diminutive of Ildikó.
Ildó f Hungarian (Rare)
Hungarian diminutive of Ildikó.
Ilene f English
Variant of Eileen, probably inspired by the spelling of Irene.
İlham m Azerbaijani
Azerbaijani form of Ilham.
Ilham f & m Arabic, Indonesian, Uyghur
Means "inspiration" in Arabic.
Ili f Hungarian
Hungarian diminutive of Ilona.
Ilia m Georgian, Russian, Bulgarian, Belarusian, Old Church Slavic
Georgian form of Elijah. It is also an alternate transcription of Russian Илья or Belarusian Ілья (see Ilya) or Bulgarian Илия (see Iliya).
Ilja m Czech, Estonian, Lithuanian, Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Илья (see Ilya), as well as the usual form in several other languages.
Ilka f Hungarian, German
Hungarian diminutive of Ilona.
İlkin m Turkish, Azerbaijani
Means "first" in Turkish and Azerbaijani.
Illés m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Elias.
Ilma 1 f Finnish (Rare)
Means "air" in Finnish.
Ilsa f German
Variant of Ilse.
Ilse f German, Dutch
German and Dutch diminutive of Elisabeth, used independently.
Il-Seong m Korean
From Sino-Korean (il) meaning "sun, day" and (seong) meaning "completed, finished, succeeded". Other hanja character combinations are possible. A notable bearer was Kim Il-sung (1912-1994), the first leader of North Korea.
Ilta f Finnish
Means "evening" in Finnish.
Ilya m Russian, Belarusian
Russian and Belarusian form of Elijah.
Ilyas m Arabic
Arabic form of Elijah.
Ilyes m Arabic (Maghrebi)
Alternate transcription of Arabic إلياس (see Ilyas) chiefly used in North Africa.
Imaan f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic إيمان (see Iman).
Imad m Arabic
Means "support, pillar" in Arabic, a derivative of عمد (ʿamada) meaning "to support".
Imam m Arabic, Indonesian
Means "leader" in Arabic.
Iman f & m Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Indonesian, Malay
Means "faith" in Arabic, derived from أمن (ʾamuna) meaning "to be faithful". It is typically feminine in Arabic and masculine in Persian.
Imane f Arabic (Maghrebi)
Alternate transcription of Arabic إيمان (see Iman) chiefly used in North Africa.
Imen f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic إيمان (see Iman).
Imke f Frisian, Dutch, Low German
Diminutive of Ime 2.
Impi f Finnish
Means "maiden, virgin" in Finnish.
Imran m Arabic, Urdu, Punjabi, Malay, Indonesian, Bengali
Arabic form of Amram, referring to the father of Moses. According to the Quran, this is also the name of the father of the Virgin Mary (analogous to the Christian Joachim).
Imre m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Emmerich. This was the name of an 11th-century Hungarian saint, the son of Saint Istvan. He is also known as Emeric.
Ina f German, Dutch, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, English, Slovene, Latvian
Short form of names ending with or otherwise containing ina, such as Martina, Christina and Carolina.
In'am f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic إنعام (see Inam).
Inam f Arabic
Means "giving, bestowal, act of kindness" in Arabic, ultimately related to نعم (naʿima) meaning "to live in comfort, to be delighted".
Inas f Arabic
Means "friendliness" in Arabic, from the root أنس (ʾanisa) meaning "to be friendly".
İnci f Turkish, Azerbaijani
Means "pearl" in Turkish and Azerbaijani.
Indah f Indonesian
Means "beautiful" in Indonesian.
India f English, Spanish (Modern)
From the name of the country, which is itself derived from the name of the Indus River. The river's name is ultimately from Sanskrit सिन्धु (Sindhu) meaning "body of trembling water, river". India Wilkes is a character in the novel Gone with the Wind (1936) by Margaret Mitchell.
Indie f English (Modern)
Possibly a diminutive of India or Indiana, but also likely inspired by the term indie, short for independent, which is typically used to refer to media produced outside of the mainstream.
Indra m Hinduism, Hindi, Nepali, Indonesian
Means "possessing drops of rain" from Sanskrit इन्दु (indu) meaning "a drop" and (ra) meaning "acquiring, possessing". Indra is the name of the ancient Hindu warrior god of the sky and rain, frequently depicted riding the elephant Airavata. He is the chief god in the Rigveda.
Indy 1 m Popular Culture
Diminutive of Indiana. This is the nickname of the hero of the Indiana Jones movies, starring Harrison Ford.
Ine f Norwegian, Dutch
Short form of names ending with ine, such as Martine, Christine and Caroline.
Inés f Spanish
Spanish form of Agnes.
Inès f French
French form of Inés.
Inês f Portuguese
Portuguese form of Agnes.
Inez f English
English form of Inés.
Inge f & m Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, German, Dutch, Estonian
Short form of Scandinavian and German names beginning with the element ing, which refers to the Germanic god Ing. In Sweden and Norway this is primarily a masculine name, elsewhere it is usually feminine.
Ingmar m Swedish
Variant of Ingemar. This name was borne by the Swedish film director Ingmar Bergman (1918-2007).
Ingo m German, Germanic
German masculine form of Inge.
Ingolf m Norwegian, Danish, German
From the Old Norse name Ingólfr, which was derived from the name of the Germanic god Ing combined with ulfr meaning "wolf".
Ingram m Germanic, English (Rare)
Germanic name composed of either the element angil, from the name of the Germanic tribe of the Angles, or engil meaning "angel" combined with hram meaning "raven". This name was brought to England by the Normans, though it died out after the medieval era. These days it is usually inspired by the surname that was derived from the medieval name.
Íngrid f Spanish, Catalan
Spanish and Catalan form of Ingrid.
Ingrid f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Estonian, German, Dutch
From the Old Norse name Ingríðr meaning "Ing is beautiful", derived from the name of the Germanic god Ing combined with fríðr "beautiful, beloved". A famous bearer was the Swedish actress Ingrid Bergman (1915-1982).
Inka f Finnish, Frisian, German
Finnish and Frisian feminine form of Inge.
Inma f Spanish
Short form of Inmaculada.
Inna f & m Russian, Ukrainian, History (Ecclesiastical)
Meaning unknown. This was the name of an early Scythian saint and martyr, a male, supposedly a disciple of Saint Andrew.
Intan f Indonesian, Malay
Means "diamond" in Malay and Indonesian.
Into m Finnish
Means "enthusiasm" in Finnish.
Io f Greek Mythology
Meaning unknown. In Greek mythology Io was a princess loved by Zeus, who changed her into a heifer in order to hide her from Hera. A moon of Jupiter bears this name in her honour.
Ioan m Romanian, Welsh, Bulgarian
Romanian and Welsh form of John. This is also an alternate transcription of Bulgarian Йоан (see Yoan 2).
Ion 1 m Basque, Romanian
Basque and Romanian form of Iohannes (see John).
Ion 2 m Greek Mythology
Of unknown etymology, possibly Pre-Greek. According to Greek mythology he was a son of Creusa and Xuthus (or alternatively the god Apollo). He was said to be the ancestor of the Greek tribe of the Ionians.
Ionel m Romanian
Romanian diminutive of John.
Ionuț m Romanian
Romanian diminutive of John.
Iosif m Russian, Romanian, Greek
Russian, Romanian and Greek form of Joseph.
Iouri m Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Юрий (see Yuriy).
Iovis m Roman Mythology
Older form of Jove.
İpek f Turkish
Means "silk" in Turkish.
Iqbal m Arabic, Urdu, Bengali, Indonesian, Malay
Means "fortunate" in Arabic. Allama Muhammad Iqbal (1877-1938) was a poet, philosopher, and scholar from Pakistan.
Ira 1 m English, Hebrew, Biblical
Means "watchful" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of King David's priest. As an English Christian given name, Ira began to be used after the Protestant Reformation. In the 17th century the Puritans brought it to America, where remained moderately common into the 20th century.
Irek 1 m Tatar, Bashkir
Means "freedom, liberty" in Tatar and Bashkir, of Turkic origin.
Ireland f English (Modern)
From the name of the European island country, derived from Irish Gaelic Éire, which may mean something like "abundant land" in Old Irish.
Irén f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Irene.
Irène f French
French form of Irene.
Irene f English, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, German, Dutch, Ancient Greek (Latinized), Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From Greek Εἰρήνη (Eirene), derived from a word meaning "peace". This was the name of the Greek goddess who personified peace, one of the Ὥραι (Horai). It was also borne by several early Christian saints. The name was common in the Byzantine Empire, notably being borne by an 8th-century empress, who was the first woman to lead the empire. She originally served as regent for her son, but later had him killed and ruled alone.... [more]
Irfan m Arabic, Urdu, Indonesian
Means "knowledge, awareness, learning" in Arabic.
Iria f Portuguese, Galician
Possibly a Portuguese and Galician form of Irene. This was the name of a 7th-century saint (also known as Irene) from Tomar in Portugal. This is also the name of an ancient town in Galicia (now a district of Padrón).
Íris f Portuguese, Icelandic
Portuguese and Icelandic form of Iris.
Iris f Greek Mythology, English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, French, Spanish, Catalan, Italian, Slovene, Croatian, Greek
Means "rainbow" in Greek. Iris was the name of the Greek goddess of the rainbow, also serving as a messenger to the gods. This name can also be given in reference to the word (which derives from the same Greek source) for the iris flower or the coloured part of the eye.
Irja f Finnish
Possibly a Finnish diminutive of Irina.
Irma f German, English, Dutch, Finnish, Swedish, Danish, Spanish, Italian, Georgian, Lithuanian, Hungarian, Slovene, Germanic
German short form of names beginning with the Old German element irmin meaning "whole, great" (Proto-Germanic *ermunaz). It is thus related to Emma. It began to be regularly used in the English-speaking world in the 19th century.
Irmak f Turkish
Means "river" in Turkish.
Irmgard f German
German contracted form of Ermengard.
Irmhild f German
Derived from the Old German elements irmin "whole, great" and hilt "battle". It is a cognate of the Old English name Eormenhild.
Irmtraud f German
German contracted form of Ermendrud.
Irmtraut f German
Variant of Irmtraud.
Irvin m English
From a surname that is a variant of either Irving or Irwin.
Irvine m English, Scottish
From a surname that was a variant of Irving.
Irving m English, Jewish
From a Scottish surname that was derived from the town of Irvine in North Ayrshire, itself named for the River Irvine, which is derived from Brythonic elements meaning "green water". Historically this name has been relatively common among Jews, who have used it as an American-sounding form of Hebrew names beginning with I such as Isaac, Israel and Isaiah. A famous bearer was the Russian-American songwriter and lyricist Irving Berlin (1888-1989), whose birth name was Israel Beilin.
Irwin m English
From an English surname that was derived from the Old English given name Eoforwine.
Isa 1 m Arabic, Persian, Albanian, Bosnian
Arabic form of Jesus. This form is found in the Quran and is used as a given name by Muslims. Arabic-speaking Christians instead use يسوع (Yasūʿ) to refer to Jesus Christ.
Isaac m English, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, French, Jewish, Biblical, Biblical Latin
From the Hebrew name יִץְחָק (Yitsḥaq) meaning "he will laugh, he will rejoice", derived from צָחַק (tsaḥaq) meaning "to laugh". The Old Testament explains this meaning, by recounting that Abraham laughed when God told him that his aged wife Sarah would become pregnant with Isaac (see Genesis 17:17), and later Sarah laughed when overhearing the same prophecy (see Genesis 18:12). When Isaac was a boy, God tested Abraham's faith by ordering him to sacrifice his son, though an angel prevented the act at the last moment. Isaac went on to become the father of Esau and Jacob with his wife Rebecca.... [more]
Isac m Romanian (Rare), Swedish
Romanian form of Isaac, as well as a Swedish variant form.
Isak m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Scandinavian form of Isaac.
'Isam m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic عصام (see Isam).
Isam m Arabic
Means "security, pledge" in Arabic, from the root عصم (ʿaṣama) meaning "to protect".
Iseul f & m Korean
Means "dew" in Korean.
Iseult f Arthurian Cycle
The origins of this name are uncertain, though some Celtic roots have been suggested. It is possible that the name is ultimately Germanic, from a hypothetical name like *Ishild, composed of the elements is "ice" and hilt "battle".... [more]
Ishfaq m Arabic, Urdu
Means "compassion, kindness" in Arabic.
Ishtar f Semitic Mythology
From the Semitic root ʿṯtr, which possibly relates to the Evening Star. Ishtar was an Akkadian, Assyrian and Babylonian goddess who presided over love, war and fertility. She was cognate with the Canaanite and Phoenician Ashtoreth, and she was also identified with the Sumerian goddess Inanna. Her name in Akkadian cuneiform 𒀭𒈹 was the same as the Sumerian cuneiform for Inanna.
Isis f Egyptian Mythology (Hellenized)
Greek form of Egyptian ꜣst (reconstructed as Iset, Aset or Ueset), possibly from st meaning "throne". In Egyptian mythology Isis was the goddess of the sky and nature, the wife of Osiris and the mother of Horus. She was originally depicted wearing a throne-shaped headdress, but in later times she was conflated with the goddess Hathor and depicted having the horns of a cow on her head. She was also worshipped by people outside of Egypt, such as the Greeks and Romans.
Iskra f Bulgarian, Macedonian, Croatian
Means "spark" in South Slavic.
Isla f Scottish, English
Variant of Islay, typically used as a feminine name. It also coincides with the Spanish word isla meaning "island".
İslam m Turkish, Azerbaijani
Turkish and Azerbaijani form of Islam.
Islam m Arabic, Kazakh, Chechen, Ingush
From the name of the religion, derived from Arabic إسلام (ʾIslām) meaning "submission (to God)".
Islay f & m Scottish
From the name of the island of Islay, which lies off of the west coast of Scotland.
'Ismat m & f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic عصمت (see Ismat).
Ismat f & m Urdu, Bengali, Arabic
Derived from Arabic عصمة (ʿiṣma) meaning "safeguarding, protection, chastity", a derivative of عصم (ʿaṣama) meaning "to protect".
İsmet m Turkish
Turkish form of Ismat.
Ismo m Finnish
Finnish form of Ishmael.
Isolde f German, Arthurian Cycle
German form of Iseult, appearing in the 13th-century German poem Tristan by Gottfried von Strassburg. In 1865 the German composer Richard Wagner debuted his popular opera Tristan und Isolde and also used the name for his first daughter.
Isra f Arabic
Means "nocturnal journey" in Arabic, derived from سرى (sarā) meaning "to travel by night". According to Islamic tradition, the Isra was a miraculous journey undertaken by the Prophet Muhammad.
Israa f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic إسراء (see Isra).
Issa m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic عيسى (see Isa 1).
Issac m English
Variant of Isaac.
István m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Stephen. This was the name of the first king of Hungary. Ruling in the 11th century, he encouraged the spread of Christianity among his subjects and is considered the patron saint of Hungary.
Ithai m Biblical
Variant of Ittai.
Iðunn f Norse Mythology, Old Norse, Icelandic
Probably derived from the Old Norse prefix ið- "again, repeated" and unna "to love". In Norse mythology Iðunn was the goddess of spring and immortality whose responsibility it was to guard the gods' apples of youth.
Itsuki m Japanese
From Japanese (itsuki) meaning "tree", using the kanji's nanori reading. Other kanji or kanji combinations can also form this name.
Ittai m Biblical
From a Hebrew name spelled variously אִתַּי (ʾIttai) or אִיתַי (ʾIṯai) meaning "with me". In the Old Testament this is the name of one of King David's mighty men.
Itzal f Basque
Means "shadow, protection" in Basque.
Iuno f Roman Mythology
Latin form of Juno.
Iva 2 f Czech, Slovak, Slovene
Short form of Ivana.
Iva 3 f Czech
Feminine form of Ivo 1.
Iván m Spanish, Hungarian
Spanish and Hungarian form of Ivan.
Ivan m Russian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Serbian, Macedonian, Croatian, Czech, Slovak, Slovene, English, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Estonian
Newer form of the Old Church Slavic name Іѡаннъ (Ioannŭ), which was derived from Greek Ioannes (see John). This was the name of six Russian rulers, including the 15th-century Ivan III the Great and 16th-century Ivan IV the Terrible, the first tsar of Russia. It was also borne by nine emperors of Bulgaria. Other notable bearers include the Russian author Ivan Turgenev (1818-1883), who wrote Fathers and Sons, and the Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936), who is best known for his discovery of the conditioned reflex.
Ivar m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Estonian
Scandinavian form of Ivor.
Ivet f Bulgarian, Catalan
Bulgarian and Catalan form of Yvette.
Ivett f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Yvette.
Ivo 1 m German, Dutch, Czech, Italian, Portuguese, Estonian, Latvian, Germanic
Germanic name, originally a short form of names beginning with the element iwa meaning "yew". Alternative theories suggest that it may in fact be derived from a cognate Celtic element. This was the name of saints (who are also commonly known as Saint Yves or Ives), hailing from Cornwall, France, and Brittany.
Ivonne f German, Dutch
German and Dutch variant of Yvonne.
Ivor m Irish, Scottish, Welsh, English (British)
From the Old Norse name Ívarr, which was probably derived from the elements ýr "yew tree, bow" and herr "army, warrior". During the Middle Ages it was brought to Britain by Scandinavian settlers and invaders, and it was adopted in Ireland (Irish Íomhar), Scotland (Scottish Gaelic Iomhar) and Wales (Welsh Ifor).
Ivory m & f African American
From the English word for the hard, creamy-white substance that comes from elephant tusks and was formerly used to produce piano keys.
Ivy f English
From the English word for the climbing plant that has small yellow flowers. It is ultimately derived from Old English ifig.
Iwan m Welsh, Polish
Modern Welsh form of Ieuan, a medieval Welsh form of Iohannes (see John). It is also a Polish form of Ivan.
Iwo m Polish
Polish form of Ivo 1.
Ixchel f Mayan Mythology, Mayan
Possibly means "rainbow lady", from Classic Maya ix "lady" and chel "rainbow". Ixchel was a Maya goddess associated with the earth, jaguars, medicine and childbirth. She was often depicted with a snake in her hair and crossbones embroidered on her skirt.
Iya f Russian
Meaning unknown. This name was borne by Saint Ia of Persia, a 4th-century martyr who is venerated in the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Iza f Polish, Slovene
Short form of Izabela.
Izaak m Polish (Rare)
Polish form of Isaac.
Izan m Spanish (Modern)
Spanish form of Ethan, reflecting the English pronunciation.
Izar f & m Basque
Means "star" in Basque.