Idris

id-riss;eed-riss

Welsh; Arabic

"lord; studious"

Idris Origin and Meaning

The name Idris is a boy's name of Arabic, Welsh origin meaning "lord; studious".

A name that crosses cultures, Idris was virtually unknown before the emergence of the charismatic Idris Elba, first on The Wire and then depicting Nelson Mandela in the acclaimed film.

In Welsh mythology, Idris Hawr "the Giant" was a legendary seventh-century Welsh giant and magician who gave his name to a well-known mountain, "Idris's Fort".

In Arabic, Idris means"to learn, study" and is the name of a prophet mentioned twice in the Quran. Idris Shah was a prominent Sufi writer.

Idris Rank in US Top 1000

# 788 in the US

Idris Rank in Nameberry Top 1000

# 427 on Nameberry

Popularity of the name Idris

• 788 US 2023
• 427 Nameberry 2025
• 685 Future 2028
• 167 England 2023

20 Names Similar to Idris

These 20 names were selected by our users that were looking for other names like Idris.

• Thorin
• Amias
• Galen
• Lorcan
• Ragnar
• Hadrian
• Theon
• Ozias
• Aurelio
• Aurelian
• Ilya
• Gaius
• Bastian
• Oleander
• Auberon
• Corin
• Astor
• Sylvain
• Aramis
• Seneca

Famous People Named Idris

• Idrissa Akuna "Idris" Elba British actor
• Idris King of Libya
• Idris I and II Kings of Morocco
• Idris Shah Indian Sufi author
• Idris Muhammad (born Leo Morris) American jazz drummer
• Idris Davies Welsh poet
• İdris Güllüce Turkish politician
• Idris Rahman British musician

The name Idris in Pop Culture

• Idris Gawr giant and astronomer in Welsh mythology
• Idris the shadowhunter capital in The Mortal Instruments series
• Idris humanoid body that housed the TARDIS on TV's "Doctor Who"
• Idris dragon in British animated series "Ivor the Engine"
• Idris character in Mary Shelley's "The Last Man"
• Idris Williams character on Welsh TV series "Hinterland"
• Cadair Idris the 'Chair of Idris', mountain in Gwynedd, Wales where Idris Gawr studied the stars
• Ancient Welsh name derived from *iudd meaning 'lord' (an obsolete element also found in Gruffudd/Griffith), and ris, 'ardent, impulsive' (same as Rhys). It was revived in the mid,19th century and used very regularly until the 1920s, but infrequent thereafter.