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Baby girl names that start with I are often intriguing. We’ve got all the I girl names from inspiring to intense, along with some unique girl names that start with I.
There’s something interesting about girls’ names that start with I.
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Maybe it’s because I is the letter of the self and carries with it a sense of curiosity and discovery.
Or maybe it’s because girl names that start with I can sound assertive, gentle, and whimsical, all at once.
Just listen to how Inara, Isis, Iliana, and Isabella roll off the tongue.
I is also one of only five vowels in the alphabet, which immediately puts I girls’ names high up on the novelty list.
Whatever draws you to girl names starting with I, we’ve put together a list that is sure to inspire.
Into the fray!
In this article 📝
- What’s a girl’s name that starts with I?
- Variations of the name Isabel
- Unique girl names that start with I
- Country and city girl names that start with I
- Rare girls’ names that start with I
What’s a girl’s name that starts with I?
While some of the I girl names below have come in and out of popularity, others have stayed on the naming charts for years.
- Ilaria: A Latin name for your happy baby, Ilaria means cheerful.
- Idris: A unisex Welsh name, Idris means fiery leader or prophet.
- Imogen: Of Irish and Gaelic origin, Imogen means maiden – a perfect name for your little maiden. You might also choose to add an “e” on the end for a French twist: Imogine.
- Indie: This is a shortening of the names Indigo or India, which has become a name on its own.
- Indigo: A flowering plant that produces a deep blue dye, Indigo has stayed steady on the naming charts for over 20 years.
- Irie: This relaxed and laid-back name comes from the Jamaican word for peace and harmony.
- Iris: A consistently popular name for decades, Iris means rainbow in Greek.
- Isis: After a brief drop in popularity, Isis is on the up again. Isis was the most powerful goddess of ancient Egypt.
- Ivory: A British name that refers to the strong tusks of an elephant, Ivory can be used as a girl or a boys’ name.
- Ivy: This climbing, evergreen plant has been a popular name for generations. It can also be spelled Ivie.
Variations of the name Isabel
You didn’t think we’d forgotten about Isabel, did you?
Well, we thought it deserved a space all of its own, since there are so many variations of the name Isabel.
It’s related to the English name Elizabeth, meaning “devoted to God”, but evolved as it made its way through Spain, Italy, and France into the many versions below.
Today, it’s often shortened to Bella, Izzy, and Isa.
If this is a name that you’d like for your little peanut, but want to add something different, one of these variations of the popular I girl name might be for you:
- Isabeau (French)
- Isabel (Spanish)
- Isabelita (Spanish)
- Isabella (Italian)
- Isabelle (Hebrew)
- Ishbel (Scottish)
- Isobel (Hebrew)
- Iza (Polish)
- Izabel (Portuguese)
- Izabella (Hebrew)
- Izabelle (Hebrew)
- Izzabella (Hebrew)
Unique girl names that start with I
After something eye-catching (see what we did there?) to fill people with intrigue and inspiration?
Then check out these unusual and unique girl names that start with I:
- Idella: “Bountiful and generous” is what this name means in Welsh.
- Idina: Meaning “wealthy friend” or “noble”, this name has Hebrew origins.
- Idona: This name comes from the Old Norse, where it was the name of a goddess who was in charge of the apples of eternal youth.
- Idra: An Aramaic name for a “fig tree”.
- Ife: This Egyptian name means “love”.
- Imani: An Arabic name, Imani means “belief” or “faith”.
- Imelda: Imelda is a Spanish name meaning “strong fighter”.
- Ines: A Greek, Spanish and French name, Ines means “pure”, “holy”, or “chaste”.
- Inola: This Native American name means “black fox”.
- Ira: Both a boys’ and a girls’ name, Ira is Hebrew for “full-grown” or “watchful”.
- Irina: Greek for “peace”, Irina is also related to the Greek name Irene.
- Irita: Like Iris, Irita also means “rainbow” in Greek.
- Isana: A Sanskrit name for “someone who is strong-willed” or a “natural ruler”.
- Isadora: This Latin name means “gift of Isis”.
- Isha: As a girls’ name, Isha takes its meaning literally. It means “woman”.
- Ishtar: Ishtar was the Babylonian goddess of love, war, and fertility.
- Isra: An Arabic name that means “journey of the night”.
- Istas: This name almost sounds like the phenomenon it describes. Istas is a Native American name that means “snow”.
- Iva: Many cultures lay claim to Iva as a name, and it is related to the Czech, Slavic, and Hebrew name Ivana. It means “God is gracious”.
- Izarra: This snazzy, stand-out name is Spanish for “star”.
Country and city girl names that start with I
Names of places are a beautiful way to add personal meaning and inspiration to your little one’s name.
There are a surprising number of names of countries, cities, and regions beginning with I that can also be used as I girls’ names.
- Iberia: The name of the peninsula where Spain and Portugal are.
- Illyria: Part of the Balkan region in ancient times, Illyria is primarily known today for the setting of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.
- Inca: Inca refers to the people of the Quechuan valley in modern-day Peru.
- India: A country of almost infinite beauty and diversity, the original Sanskrit word India means river.
- Indiana: The great state of the Indy 500… and a very cool name for a future thrill chaser.
- Iona: Iona is an island in the Inner Hebrides.
- Ireland: The Emerald Isle of beauty, storytelling, myth, and mists.
- Isla: Two countries lay claim to this beautiful name: Scotland, where it means island, and Australia, where it means rocky place. It’s pronounced eye-la.
- Israel: The Western Asian country.
- Italy: Pizza, pasta, fashion, Vespas, the Romans… Italy is a beautiful I girls’ name with lots of history and meaning.
Rare girls’ names that start with I
Still looking for ideas? Don’t worry.
When we said we had scoured the baby name lists for the best I names for girls, we weren’t kidding.
Check out some of the more unusual I girl names below. Maybe one will strike a chord.
- Ianna: Meaning “God is gracious” in American.
- Ianthe: Meaning “violet” Greek.
- Iara: Meaning “small butterfly” Arabic.
- Iba: Meaning “exalted” in Arabic.
- Ica: Meaning “light” in Greek.
- Ida: Meaning “industrious” in German.
- Idaleen: Meaning “prosperous” in German.
- Idalia: Meaning “behold the sun” in Greek.
- Idelisa: Meaning “bountiful” in Celtic.
- Idonna: Meaning “renewed love” in German.
- Ienipa: Meaning “white” in Hawaiian.
- Iesha: Meaning “prosperous” in Arabic.
- Ifra: Meaning “adept” in Persian.
- Ignatia: Meaning “fiery one” in Latin.
- Ila: Meaning “from the island” in French.
- Ilana: Meaning “tree” in Hebrew.
- Ildiko: Meaning “battle” in German.
- Iliana: Meaning “Trojan” in Greek. In poetry, the ancient city of Troy is often called Ilion.
- Ilhan: Meaning “beautiful voice” in Greek.
- Ilissa: Meaning “from the blessed isles” in American.
- Ilka: Meaning “bright one” in Hungarian.
- Ilma: Meaning “air” in Finnish.
- Ilona: Meaning “joy” in Finnish.
- Ily: An acronym for “I love you” in America.
- Ilyse: Meaning “noble” in German.
- Iman: Meaning “faith” in Arabic.
- Inara: Meaning “shining light” in Arabic.
- Inayah: Meaning “solitude” in Arabic.
- Indali: Meaning “powerful” in Hindu.
- Indira: Meaning “beauty! In Sanskrit.
- Inej: Meaning “faithful” in Portuguese.
- Inesita: Meaning “pure” in Spanish.
- Inessa: Meaning “pure” in Russian.
- Infinity: Meaning “forever” in English.
- Inga: Meaning “Ing’s protection” in Scandinavian.
- Ingmar: Meaning “famous” in Norse.
- Ingrid: Meaning “beloved” in German.
- Inkeri: Meaning “hero’s daughter” in Finnish.
- Innes: Meaning “island” in Gaelic.
- Inocencia: Meaning “innocence” in Spanish.
- Iolanda: Meaning “violet” in Greek.
- Iole: Meaning “violet-colored dawn” in Greek.
- Iphigenia: Meaning “strong-born” in Greek.
- Irelyn: Meaning “beautiful soul” in Celtic.
- Irene: Meaning “peace” in Greek.
- Irma: Meaning “world” in German.
- Irvina: Meaning “freshwater” in British.
- Irwina: Meaning “board friend” British.
- Ippolita: Meaning “freer of horses” in Greek.
- Ipsa: Meaning “ambition” in Indian.
- Iridiana: Meaning “rainbow” in Greek.
- Irsia: Meaning “rainbow” in Arabic.
- Isel: Meaning “island” in French.
- Isela: Meaning “devoted to God” in German.
- Ishita: Meaning “power” in Sanskrit.
- Islah: Meaning “reform” in Arabic.
- Isley: Meaning “from the hazel grove” in English.
- Ismay: Meaning “esteemed” in Old French.
- Ismena: Meaning “wise” in Greek.
- Ishana: Meaning “prosperous” in Sanskrit.
- Ishani: Meaning “desire” Sanskrit.
- Ishara: Meaning “rich” Arabic.
- Ishika: Meaning “arrow” in Sanskrit.
- Isolde: Meaning “ice battle” in German.
- Isotta: Meaning “fair lady” in Welsh.
- Isra: Meaning “journey at night” in Arabic.
- Issa: Meaning “Jesus” in Arabic.
- Istred: Meaning “divinely beautiful” in Scandinavian.
- Ita: Meaning “thirst” in Polish.
- Iti: Meaning “new beginning” in Sanskrit.
- Itzel: Meaning “star of the aurora sky” in Spanish. There’s also a Mayan princess named Itzel.
- Itzayana: Meaning “a gift of God” in Mayan.
- Ivalyn: Meaning “God is gracious” in English.
- Ivana: Meaning “gift of God” in Slavic.
- Ivanka: Meaning “God is gracious” in Slavic.
- Ivanya: Meaning “God is gracious” in Slavic.
- Ivee: Meaning “ivy” in English.
- Ivette: Meaning “yew” in French.
- Ivonne: Meaning “archer” in German.
- Izdihar: Meaning “flourishing” in Arabic.
- Izel: Meaning “unique” in Turkish.
- Izna: Meaning “light” in Urdu.
- Izumi: Meaning “spring” in Japanese.
- Izusa: Meaning “white stone” in Native American.
That’s it for all the best baby girl names that start with I ‒ which ones are your favorites?
And if you still haven’t found your baby’s Goldilocks name – the one that feels just right – here are a few other lists to browse for that incontrovertible feeling of inspiration:
21 Girl Names That Start With A
85 Baby Girl Names That Start With B
67 Girl Names That Start With C
52 Baby Girl Names That Start With D
100+ Baby Girl Names That Start With E
82 Baby Girl Names That Start With F
89 Baby Girl Names That Start With G
111 Baby Girl Names That Start With H
Baby Girl Names that Start with J
84 Girl Names That Start With K
66 Girl Names That Start With L
Baby Girl Names that Start with M
85 Baby Girl Names That Start With N
82 Girls Names That Start With O
57 Baby Girl Names That Start With P
20 Baby Girl Names Starting with Q
92 Girl Names That Start With R
58 Girl Names That Start With S
70 Girl Names That Start with T
52 Baby Girl Names That Start With U
123 Girl Names That Start with V
80 Baby Girl Names That Start With W
54 Baby Girl Names That Start With X
75 Baby Girl Names That Start With Y
82 Baby Girl Names that Start with Z (and Their Meanings)