29 Illuminating Baby Names Starting with I

Ignite a spark of sweetness with these iconic, interesting and illustrious baby name gems. We’ve uncovered 29 baby names starting with I that you won’t hear every day.

While vowel letter names are increasingly popular, especially A baby names, there are not a lot of trending I baby names. On the most popular baby names of 2023, only five names begin with the letter I: 

• Isla
• Ivy
• Isabella
• Imogen
• Isaac 

See the full list here. 

Unique baby names starting with I 

If you are after a unique name that starts with I, then check out these 28 options: 

1. Iris – Meaning “rainbow” Iris is a bright and colourful choice. 

2. India – Geographical and charming, India is often shortened to Indie or Indy. 

3. Ilias – The name Ilias is a Hebrew baby name, and means “Jehovah is God”. 

4. Ines  – We love retro names and Ines rules the retro roast! It means “pure, virginal”. 

5. Isadora – This is a cute alternative to the more popular Isabella and is both strong and feminine. 

6. Ivory – Ivy makes the top 100 but what about Ivory? This colour-name means “pure white” and is often associated with purity and prosperity. 

7. Isobel – Pretty but not too popular, this uniquely spelled I baby name is both elegant and lovely-sounding. 

8. Ida – Popular several decades ago, Ida is making a comeback, especially for parents who like short names like Mia, Ivy and Ava. 

9. Idalia – Another lovely longer option is Idalia, which means “behold the sun” with connections to the goddess of love and beauty. 

10. Ignatius (Iggy) – Meaning “fiery”, Ignatius is bold and incredibly unique. You can also opt for Iggy as a nickname. 

11. Io – It’s the shortest name on the list and also comes with a space vibe. Io is one of Jupiter’s more common moons. 

12. Irv – Another short name choice, Irv is oozing with old-school grandpa vibes, just begging to be brought back to life. Irv means “green” or “freshwater”. 

13. Iona – This pretty moniker means “dove” and is Scottish. 

14. Isolde – A lovely literary option, Isolde means “fair lady” and is the title character in one of Shakespeare’s plays. 

15. Ireland – Geographical names are increasingly popular but Ireland continues to be overlooked. 

16. Isley – A graceful alternative to Isla, Isley is pronounced two ways. You can go with “eye-lee” or “eyes-lee”. 

17. Ibby – Ibby can be a nickname for Elizabeth but it also works on its own and means “pledged to God”. 

18. Idella – A very idyllic name, Idella means “bountiful”. 

19. Icarus – An interesting I baby name rooted in Greek mythology, Icarus means “follower” and is famous for the story of Icarus who flew too close to the sun. 

20. Ike – Playful yet powerful, Ike is a cute option if you like short and sweet names. It means “laughter”. 

21. Ianthe – Poetic and romantic, Ianthe means “purple flower” and could be used as an alternative to some of the other more popular purple botanical names such as Violet and Lilac. 

22. Ibsen – Popular in Denmark, Ib means “son of Ib”. Ib is actually a shortened version of Jacob so this name could also work if you’re honouring a Jacob in your family. 

23. Indigo – Another colourful choice, Indigo is a vibrant and rich hue of blue and a lovely I baby name to consider.  

24. Isaiah – There are several Biblical names out there but Isaiah is one you may not hear often. It means “salvation of the Lord”. 

25. Ishan -Pronounced “Eye-Shan”, this typically masculine name means “Lord of wealth” – a great one to bring prosperity to your world. 

26. Isreal – Another “Is” option, Isreal is gaining traction as a trendy geographical name which means “may God prevail”. 

27. Ilaria –  This cheeky name comes from the word “hilarious” and might be the playful choice you’re searching for. 

28. Inigo – If you’re a fan of The Princess Bridge, this name needs no introduction. Inigo means “fiery”. 

29. Iza –There are a few different meanings of Iza but our favourite is “beautiful” in Spanish. 

What to read next

What do you think? Do you love any of these baby names beginning with I?

Stay tuned for our entire baby name series as we go through our top picks for unique names starting with every letter of the alphabet.

• Baby Names Starting with A 
• Baby Names Starting with B
• Baby Names Starting with C
• Baby Names Starting with D
• Baby Names Starting with E
•  Baby Names Starting with F
• Baby Names Starting with G
• Baby Names Beginning with H

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