1004 Adorable Baby Names That Start With I

Names that start with the letter I have a link to Yod, the 10th letter of the Hebrew alphabet, from which the letter ‘I’ likely originates. The term Yod is derived from an early symbol resembling the human hand. The style of writing this letter has also evolved as time passed. Unlike the vertical version of the letter ‘I’ we see today, the Greeks used a curved form, which was similar to its Semitic origins. Additionally, the title of the I, more commonly known as the dot, appeared around the 11th century to differentiate it from the letters M and N, which have a similar structure.

In English, I is considered a complete word and it serves as the Roman numeral for the number one. The letter is also a symbol of self-reflection and introspection in the real world and literature. Moreover, being the ninth letter of the Latin alphabet, it may have associations with the same numerological number. The planet Mars rules this number and may signify creativity, imagination, and bravery. Popular names that start with I have diverse origins and meanings. Boy names such as Isaac, Ivan, and Isiah are not only well-loved but also have associations with the Bible. On the other hand, girl names such as Isabella, Ivy, and Ingrid have varied origins. However, what brings these names together is the single letter at the head of each one. Even today, names such as Ivan, Isaac, and Isabella rank quite high among the top 1000 names in the US (1).

‘I’ also offers multiple phonetic choices, which makes it a pet alphabet among parents. The long sound as in ‘ice’ and the short sound as in ‘igloo’ make for a variety of sounds and pronunciations. Interestingly, ‘I’ is one of the most frequently used vowels in the English language. Celebrity influences have also worked in the favor of names starting with the letter I. Notable figures such as Ian McKellen, Isla Fisher, Idris Elba, Ingrid Bergman, and Ivanka Trump are popular bearers. If you are a science nerd, you will find Isaac Newton among the known personalities. For book lovers, there are Isaac Asimov and Ian Fleming. In every field, be it sports or music, you will find someone with the I-name who made an extraordinary remark. Whether traditional or contemporary, parents will find a baby name that starts with I that suits their tastes. Distinct yet resonating with history and mythology, names starting with I have stood the test of time and will continue to do so.

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NameGenderMeaning
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Isabella
Baby Girl Sign Girl God is my oath
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Isla
Baby Girl Sign Girl Island
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Isaac
Baby Boy Sign Boy He will laugh
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Ivy
Baby Girl Sign Girl Climber plant
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Isaiah
Baby Boy Sign Boy Yahweh is salvation
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Ian
Baby Boy Sign Boy God is gracious
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Iris
Baby Girl Sign Girl Rainbow; Flower
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Isabelle
Baby Girl Sign Girl Devoted to God
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Isabel
Baby Girl Sign Girl God is my oath
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Israel
Baby Boy Sign Boy God contends
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Ismael
Baby Boy Sign Boy God hears
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Izabella
Baby Girl Sign Girl Pledged to God
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Iker
Baby Boy Sign Boy Visitation; Visitor
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Isaias
Baby Boy Sign Boy God is with us
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Imani
Baby Girl Sign Girl Faith; Belief
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Izaiah
Baby Boy Sign Boy Yahweh is salvation
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Itzel
Baby Girl Sign Girl Rainbow Goddess
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Ivanna
Baby Girl Sign Girl God is gracious
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Issac
Baby Boy Sign Boy He will laugh
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Irene
Baby Girl Sign Girl Peace
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Ila
Baby Girl Sign Girl Earth; Speech
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Iyla
Baby Girl Sign Girl Moonlight; Tree
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Isabela
Baby Girl Sign Girl God is my oath
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Ishaan
Baby Boy Sign Boy Lord; Master
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Iliana
Baby Girl Sign Girl From Ilium or Troy
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India
Baby Girl Sign Girl Derived from a country originating in river Indus
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Itzayana
Baby Girl Sign Girl Variation of Itzel rainbow lady
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Ingrid
Baby Girl Sign Girl Goddess of fertility
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Imran
Baby Boy Sign Boy Prosperity
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Indie
Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Independent or free-spirited
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Ida
Baby Girl Sign Girl Hardworking; Industrious person
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Ivaan
Baby Boy Sign Boy Gift from God
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Isai
Baby Boy Sign Boy Masculinity
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Ivana
Baby Girl Sign Girl Yahweh is gracious
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Ismail
Unisex Baby Sign Unisex God listens
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Immanuel
Baby Boy Sign Boy God is with us
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Inaya
Baby Girl Sign Girl Concern; Care
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Isael
Baby Boy Sign Boy God strives; God's soldier
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Irie
Baby Girl Sign Girl Cool; Peace; Harmony
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Ishmael
Baby Boy Sign Boy God will hear
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Imogen
Baby Girl Sign Girl Maiden
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Isiah
Baby Boy Sign Boy Yahweh is salvation
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Ilan
Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Tree; Arbor day
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Ireland
Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Land of the Irish
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Inaaya
Baby Girl Sign Girl Gift from god; One to behold
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Irving
Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Green River
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Izayah
Baby Boy Sign Boy God is salvation; God's helper
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Izael
Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Gift of God
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Ines
Baby Girl Sign Girl Pure
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Ivey
Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Son of Ive; Ivy plant
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Isadora
Baby Girl Sign Girl Gift of Isis
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Isabell
Baby Girl Sign Girl God is my oath
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Inez
Baby Girl Sign Girl Pure; Holy
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Issa
Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Joy, happiness, salvation
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Inara
Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Luminous, divine
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Ilyas
Baby Boy Sign Boy Prophet Elijah or Yahweh is my God
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Iva
Baby Girl Sign Girl Gift of God
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Italy
Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Country in Southern Europe
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Iyanna
Baby Girl Sign Girl God is gracious
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Ivar
Baby Boy Sign Boy Bow warrior; Archer
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Isha
Baby Girl Sign Girl Desire, life, beauty
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Irvin
Baby Boy Sign Boy Strength, fairness, noble
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Ishan
Baby Boy Sign Boy Blessed, divine, sun god
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Izabel
Baby Girl Sign Girl Brazilian version of Isabel; My God is an oath
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Isis
Baby Girl Sign Girl Throne
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Isidro
Baby Boy Sign Boy Gift of Isis
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Izabelle
Baby Girl Sign Girl Gift of God
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Iman
Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Believer; Faithful; Trustworthy
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Izan
Unisex Baby Sign Unisex To give; Generosity
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Irelynn
Baby Girl Sign Girl Peaceful
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Irina
Baby Girl Sign Girl Peaceful, serene, beautiful
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Iqra
Baby Girl Sign Girl Read or to recite in Arabic
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Ignatius
Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Fiery, passionate, and resolute
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Ilana
Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Tree or oak tree
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Isobel
Baby Girl Sign Girl Devoted, creative, independent
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Iver
Baby Boy Sign Boy Energetic, strong, and adventurous
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Isaak
Baby Boy Sign Boy Laughter or laughter of God
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Ileana
Baby Girl Sign Girl Bright, shining light
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Izrael
Unisex Baby Sign Unisex God's servant
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Ivanka
Baby Girl Sign Girl God is gracious
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Inayah
Baby Girl Sign Girl Graceful, thankful, sincere
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Idrees
Baby Boy Sign Boy Variant of Idris; One who instructs or teaches
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Italia
Baby Girl Sign Girl Land of Italy
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Isa
Baby Girl Sign Girl Jesus
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Illiana
Baby Girl Sign Girl Light
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Iyana
Baby Girl Sign Girl Bright, gracious, divine
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Izel
Baby Girl Sign Girl Hand; Homeland
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Izaak
Baby Boy Sign Boy God will laugh
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Ike
Baby Boy Sign Boy Strength, laughter, charm
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Ilyana
Baby Girl Sign Girl Sun ray; Shining light
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Ivie
Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Gift of life; God's grace
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Isra
Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Night journey
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Izaac
Baby Boy Sign Boy God laughs or God will bring joy
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Isley
Unisex Baby Sign Unisex White island or peaceful island
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Ishanvi
Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Goddess, divine, auspicious
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Ilias
Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Greek form of Elias; My God is Yahweh
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Iverson
Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Son of Iver; Archer's son
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Imogene
Baby Girl Sign Girl Beloved, pure, gentle
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Isela
Baby Girl Sign Girl Charming and strong
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Ivette
Baby Girl Sign Girl Yew wood; Archer
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Baby names that start with I offer a variety of great options for new parents to choose from. From Isaac to Isabella, these names have been around for a long time and are still chosen. They are often found in ancient texts including the Bible, and in old languages such as Greek, Sanskrit, Arabic, and Hebrew also count some of them in their number. Now found in almost every contemporary language, these names have created a wholesome following among parents. By giving their children names that start with I, parents are often associating them with a great history and significance.

Infographic: Popular I-Letter Names For Your Baby

I-letter names possess a unique individuality and phonetic charm that sets them apart from other names. The distinctive shape and sound of the letter add to the elegance of these names. Explore the infographic below to discover a selection of meaningful I-letter names that you might find perfect for your child.

baby names that start with i (infographic)

Illustration: Momjunction Design Team

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are rare names that start with I?

A few rare names that start with the letter I are Ilma, which means ‘air’ in Finnish, Ileen, which means ‘torch’ in Greek, Ijsbrand, which means ‘ice sword’ in Dutch, and Idalia, which means ‘work’ or ‘labor’ in German.

2. Which Hindu God names start with I?

The Hindu gods Indra and Ishana are a few gods with names starting from the letter I. Ishana refers to one of the eleven Rudra forms of Lord Shiva, and Indra is considered the king of devas and the controller of weather, thunder, rains, and wars.

References

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  1. Popularity of a Name.
    https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/
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