Iris Name Meaning

Iris is a Greek name, meaning “rainbow.” In Greek mythology, Iris is the personification of the rainbow and the messenger of the gods. She was said to travel with the speed of wind from one end of the world to the other and was often depicted as a beautiful woman with wings.

History of the Name Iris

The name Iris has a rich history dating back to ancient Greece. In Greek mythology, Iris was the personification of the rainbow and the messenger of the gods. She was often depicted in art and literature as a beautiful woman with wings, who could travel with the speed of wind from one end of the world to the other.

Throughout history, the name Iris has been used in literature, art, and mythology. In the 19th century, the name Iris became popular in England, and it’s been widely used in the English-speaking world ever since.

Popularity of the Name Iris

Iris has been a consistently popular name for girls in the United States, but it’s not on the top 100 most popular names for girls. As of 2021, it’s ranked as the #266 most popular name for girls in the United States. It’s also popular in other countries like England, Ireland, and Scotland.

Final Thoughts on the Name Iris

In conclusion, Iris is a unique and charming name that has a strong and powerful meaning. It has a rich history dating back to ancient Greece, and it’s been consistently popular in the English-speaking world. Iris is perfect for a girl who is bright, colorful, and unique. If you’re looking for a classic and elegant name for your baby girl, Iris might just be the perfect choice for you!

Infographic of Iris name meaning, which is A Greek name meaning rainbow, Iris is also a floral name.
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Iris Name Popularity

How popular is the name Iris? Here’s everything we know.

Year Rank # Births % Births
1910 334 92 0.0261%
1911 308 122 0.0328%
1912 314 173 0.0343%
1913 267 264 0.0466%
1914 253 389 0.0558%
1915 249 536 0.059%
1916 251 562 0.0582%
1917 247 595 0.0595%
1918 251 636 0.0593%
1919 242 661 0.0631%
1920 259 614 0.0552%
1921 247 692 0.0604%
1922 256 631 0.0566%
1923 216 858 0.0766%
1924 219 865 0.0745%
1925 207 923 0.0817%
1926 199 952 0.0866%
1927 199 986 0.0891%
1928 198 990 0.0925%
1929 196 952 0.0919%
1930 202 907 0.0868%
1931 203 870 0.0881%
1932 210 822 0.0832%
1933 217 741 0.0795%
1934 217 799 0.0827%
1935 208 786 0.0809%
1936 211 757 0.0786%
1937 213 752 0.0763%
1938 229 696 0.068%
1939 224 716 0.0704%
1940 221 726 0.0683%
1941 243 679 0.0603%
1942 244 741 0.0587%
1943 263 676 0.0518%
1944 251 687 0.0554%
1945 269 610 0.05%
1946 250 772 0.0523%
1947 253 836 0.0501%
1948 244 908 0.0569%
1949 252 884 0.055%
1950 240 948 0.0589%
1951 257 872 0.0514%
1952 261 893 0.0512%
1953 273 885 0.05%
1954 295 787 0.0431%
1955 290 866 0.0471%
1956 276 954 0.0505%
1957 303 873 0.0454%
1958 334 759 0.0402%
1959 342 735 0.0387%
1960 349 725 0.0383%
1961 360 666 0.0353%
1962 364 629 0.0343%
1963 405 523 0.0291%
1964 423 490 0.0278%
1965 410 476 0.0291%
1966 447 399 0.0256%
1967 446 405 0.0267%
1968 373 553 0.0368%
1969 375 581 0.0377%
1970 374 595 0.0374%
1971 399 498 0.0331%
1972 436 401 0.0294%
1973 393 480 0.037%
1974 465 342 0.0263%
1975 454 382 0.0297%
1976 450 383 0.0297%
1977 497 333 0.0247%
1978 450 402 0.0299%
1979 425 450 0.0319%
1980 431 460 0.0315%
1981 442 444 0.0302%
1982 451 431 0.0288%
1983 493 349 0.0237%
1984 453 415 0.0279%
1985 461 421 0.0277%
1986 447 438 0.029%
1987 500 381 0.025%
1988 466 444 0.0285%
1989 455 496 0.0307%
1990 429 547 0.033%
1991 408 586 0.036%
1992 451 511 0.032%
1993 468 498 0.0319%
1994 478 476 0.031%
1995 513 429 0.0285%
1996 537 397 0.0265%
1997 503 444 0.03%
1998 453 534 0.0357%
1999 412 643 0.0429%
2000 423 634 0.0415%
2001 402 686 0.0455%
2002 385 735 0.049%
2003 384 758 0.0498%
2004 379 791 0.0519%
2005 355 855 0.0559%
2006 369 842 0.0538%
2007 315 1,036 0.0657%
2008 336 942 0.0609%
2009 313 1,012 0.0677%
2010 311 982 0.0681%
2011 300 1,012 0.071%
2012 275 1,111 0.078%
2013 248 1,224 0.086%
2014 237 1,311 0.09%
2015 212 1,482 0.1019%
2016 181 1,731 0.1201%
2017 147 1,953 0.1399%
2018 136 2,100 0.1528%
2019 125 2,170 0.1603%
2020 127 2,098 0.1648%
2021 104 2,396 0.196%
2022 84 2,913 0.2208%

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Data via SSA.gov.


Names Like Iris

If you like Iris, you’ll love these other names like Iris.


What names are variants of Iris?

Mix it up with these names that are a variation of the name Iris.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Irida

Rainbow

Greek

Iridiana

Rainbow

Greek

Iridianny

Rainbow

Greek

Irisa

Rainbow

Irish

Irisha

Rainbow

Irish

Irita

Rainbow

Greek


What names sound like Iris?

If you like how Iris sounds, you might also like these names that sound like Iris.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Eris

Strife

Greek

Eriss

Greek

Erys

Greek


What names are similar to Iris?

Find a name that’s like Iris, but just a little bit different.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Rainbow

Spectrum of light

English


Lists With Iris

Find inspiration in these baby girl name lists featuring the name Iris.


Siblings of Iris

Mamas with kids named Iris also have kids with these names.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Agnes

Pure, holy

Greek

Jewel

Plaything, delight

French

Willow

Willow tree

English

Adrien

From Hadria

Latin

Damien

To tame

French

Persephone

Bringer of destruction

Greek

Sebastien

Revered

Greek

Phoenix

Dark red

Greek

Leverett

Young Hare

French

Freya

Lady

Scandinavian

Rowan

Of the rowan tree

Gaelic

Wyatt

Brave in battle

English

Briar

Shrub, Small Tree

English

Rose

Rose flower

English

Sage

Healing herb

Latin

23 Comments

  1. Iris Is a great name, this might seem kinda fake because my name is Iris, but I enjoy my name. Its classy, floral, sweet, rare, full of light, and meaning full. I recommend it long with the names; Mara, Oakley, Zendaya, and Violet.

  2. Me and my girlfriend found the name Iris and fell in love we knew as soon as she was a girl that Iris would be her name she was born a couple days ago she is so precious 9/3/24

  3. Iris means in Greek- Rainbow; she’s our little rainbow baby. It is also a symbol of Faith, Hope, and Trust in God.

  4. She didn’t have a name until after she was born. None of us could agree on a name we all liked. She was almost Ellanora.
    It was a lot of hard work birthing that big o’ head, but as soon as I seen her I knew she was my flower. My Iris. So now I have Saige and Iris. My two beautiful daughters!

  5. Unique, cool origin and meaning

  6. Our first daughter’s name was Violet. We wanted to do a flower theme. Iris was one of the names we like last time. So we decided to go with it.

  7. My great-grandmother’s name was Iris and we always loved the name. It is also special because it means “rainbow” in Greek and she is our rainbow baby.

  8. Well informed course

  9. Pretty rough first pregnancy but all work out good. Because nice flowery name and has good meaning.
    I like all about it and my partner chose it so I like it too.
    She is strong, healthy baby girl and we will continue to give her the best

  10. Went with Iris because we love flowers and it had Greek mythology roots just like my first daughter Daphne which is also a flower.

  11. We chose the name “Iris” while driving home from work one day. It was more like, “Iris Elaine.” I said it as if I were scolding her, as if I were calling out to her- a couple different ways. We wanted a name both old and new. Iris Elaine was the result!

  12. In Greek mythology, Iris was the goddess of the rainbow, a messenger for Zeus and Hera who rode the rainbow as a multicolored bridge from heaven to earth. In ancient times, the Iris was considered a symbol of power and majesty, the three petal segments representing faith, wisdom and valor. This colorful image led to the naming of the flower and to the colored part of the eye. Iris is also the national flower of Croatia.

  13. My husband picked it because of Iris on the TV show “The Flash“, but I like the meaning of it as a Goddess of the rainbow because we saw so many rainbows before I got pregnant with her. I also love that it is a derivation of the word iridescent.

  14. Its actully a good name and it means that she will a cool and nice person and it should be popular and i think boys have this name to and means she love everybody

  15. Iris from the Greek Irida

  16. Iris was not a name we had on any of our lists, but I just couldn’t find just the right name for our third girl. All of our children have Saints names, and I came across a list of unusual Saints’ names. Iris (Greek) or St Rais of Alexandria was on the list, a 4th century martyr. A brave and heroic young girl. It really stuck out to us. Then we found out it meant “rainbow” in Greek, and our Iris is our second rainbow baby, born after a miscarriage of her older brother Jude. We just think it’s perfect for her.

  17. It means “rainbow.” I have had two miscarriages, and Iris is a sign of God’s promise. We also have two older children with nature names and Iris goes well with them.

  18. We named our daughter Iris after the Greek goddess of the rainbow.

  19. I thought I was carrying a boy so when she was born at 23 weeks a girl and didn’t make it, I had to scramble to find a girl name for her. It fit very well.

  20. We wanted something classic yet unique. “Iris” was mentioned while driving in the car one day and we never thought of another name we liked more!

  21. We wanted her full name to include a feminine name as well as a biblical/Christian-based name. When it came to Iris, we loved the thought of a floral name and had both always been fond of that particular one. We were blessed, it was just meant to be for her.

  22. my husband and I both had a name for my baby girl. When she was born, I feel the name my husband picked suits her better, thus, we named our girl Iris. Iris means rainbow in Greek. I want her life to be full of happiness and colorful.


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