Dog Names That Start With I

The rise of the the various Isabel names may give a boost to this variation, which has a sunny, springtime feel.

In Welsh, a diminutive of Iorwerth. As a Japanese name, Iori stands alone.

Itzae is an ancient Mayan name showing signs of revival in our modern world.

Long an extremely popular name in Spain, Iker (usually pronounced EE-kuhr in the English speaking world) is the rare Basque name that's starting to make it big in the States also, thanks to soccer player Iker Casillas. Indeed, it's been one of the fastest growing boys' names of the decade.

A Top 200 choice in the US from the late 1880s to the early 1930s, Irma has nevertheless fallen out of favor with modern parents, and doesn't look set for the sort of comeback that some of her vintage sisters have enjoyed in recent years. The devastating hurricane which hit the Caribbean Islands and the south-east coast of the US in 2017 has no doubt dealt its chances of revival a further blow.

One of the best-known African names in the Western World because of the Somali-born model and wife of the late David Bowie.

This state name emerged in the eighties along with westerners Dakota and Montana, and it's still used occasionally by high-profile parents such as Summer Phoenix and Casey Affleck. Action man Indiana Jones (played by Harrison Ford) makes Indiana "Indy" forever cool for a boy.

Ino was one of the Queens of Thebes who, after her death, became an immortal. Ino raised her nephew, Dionysus (son of Semele and Zeus), provoking the wrath of Hera. In desperation Ino threw herself into the sea and was thereafter venerated as Leucothea (The White Goddess).

Ilsa is remembered as the radiant but tragic heroine of "Casablanca," and it's having something of a European resurgence.

Iago, the villain of Shakespeare's Othello, was so treacherously evil that his name has hardly ever been heard offstage. Try the much-more-benign Inigo.

An undiscovered surname possibility with upscale overtones, could be enlivened with nickname Ingo.

Musical association with Igor Stravinsky, but also Dr. Frankenstein's right-hand man.

Ichigo is a unisex — but primarily male — Japanese name. As a male name, it is typically written in kanji giving it the meaning "one guardian" (which can be interpreted to mean "best guardian"). As a female name, it references strawberries.

Iyla, now a Top 1000 girls' name in the US, resembles many other popular names, from the Top 100 Isla to the Turkish Ayla, with which it shares a moonlit meaning.

This Yaygir Aboriginal name is the name of two towns in Australia and is also occasionally spotted as a name. Meaning "by the sea" the name is perfect for beach-going families.

Son of Irving.

Japanese-born fashion designer Issey Miyake, known for his techno-clothes, could provide baby naming inspiration.

Irie is an upbeat and modern name that originated as a Rastafarian term for "positive and powerful."

A unisex cultural crossover that has seen a little use from the 1990s onwards. In Japanese mythology, Inari is an androgynous deity associated with rice, tea and foxes. In Finland, it is the name of a region, lake and village which is a center of Sami culture.