Read this list if you are looking for popular baby boy names beginning with I. Find out their meaning and origin and decide whether your child could be an Ian, Ignacio or an Ivan

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1. Ian

  • Origin: Scottish/Gaelic
  • Meaning: God is gracious
  • Also: Iain, John

2. Ichiro

  • Origin: Japanese
  • Meaning: first son

3. Idris

  • Origin: Welsh/Arabic
  • Meaning: fiery lord/the interpreter; the Islamic prophet mentioned in the Qur'an, usually identified with Enoch in the Bible

4. Iggi

More like this
  • Origin: Eritrean
  • Meaning: only son

5. Ignacio

  • Origin: Spanish, Galician
  • Meaning: fire

6. Ignatius

  • Origin: Greek
  • Meaning: fire, ignite
  • Also: Iggy, Inigo, Ignace (French form)

7. Igor

  • Origin: Scandinavian
  • Meaning: a name much used in Russia

8. Ijay

  • Origin: Indian
  • Meaning: Lord Vishnu

9. Ikesh

  • Origin: Indian
  • Meaning: unique

10. Immanuel

  • Origin: Hebrew
  • Meaning: God is with us
  • Also: Emmanuel

11. Inderjit

  • Origin: Sanskrit
  • Meaning: conqueror of the god Indra

Looking for names for boys starting with other letters of the alphabet?

Complete your baby boy name shortlist by clicking on the letter you’re after 

 

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z 

12. Ingemar

  • Origin: Old Norse
  • Meaning: son of Ing
  • Also: Ingmar, Inge

13. Ingram

  • Origin: Old German
  • Meaning: angel raven; a surname used as a first name

14. Iniko

  • Origin: Nigerian
  • Meaning: born during troubled times

15. Innes

  • Origin: Gaelic
  • Meaning: island
  • Also: Inness

16. Iorwerth

  • Origin: Welsh
  • Meaning: a nobleman of worth
  • Also: Iolo, Iolyn

17. Ira

  • Origin: Aramaic
  • Meaning: watchful

18. Irvine

  • Origin: Scottish
  • Derived from the area of river Irvine in Scotland
  • Also: Irving

19. Irwin

  • Origin: Old English
  • Meaning: friend of the boars

20. Isaac

  • Origin: Hebrew
  • Meaning: laughter
  • Also: Izaak, Ike

21. Isaiah

  • Origin: Hebrew
  • Meaning: Jehovah is generous

22. Ishaan

  • Origin: Hindi
  • Meaning: the sun

23. Ishmael

  • Origin: Hebrew
  • Meaning: God listens
  • Also: Ismail

24. Isidore

  • Origin: Greek
  • Meaning: probably a gift

25. Israel

  • Origin: Hebrew
  • Meaning: may God prevail
  • Also: Izzy

26. Issa

  • Origin: Swahili
  • Meaning: God is salvation

27. Istvan

  • Origin: Hungarian
  • Meaning: crown
  • Also: Stephen

28. Itamar

  • Origin: Hebrew
  • Meaning: palm grove

29. Ivaan

  • Origin: Sanskrit
  • Meaning: the Sun, the ruler

30. Ivan

  • Origin: Russian
  • Meaning: gift from God
  • Also: John

31. Ivor

  • Origin: Old Norse
  • Meaning: archer, warrior with a bow
  • Also: Ifor (Welsh form)

About our author Catherine Ball

Catherine Ball is a freelance journalist who specialises in writing about parenting and health. She has been a journalist for 20 years, writing for a wide range of regional and national publications. She is also mum to 4 children between the ages 3 and 12, so has drawn up many, many lists of baby names over the past few years.

Illustration: Emma Winchester

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