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Name Lineage

    The first name Iris

    A girl’s name from Greek meaning “rainbow”.

    2 syllables Female

    Meaning and origin

    Greek origin

    Iris means “rainbow” in Greek.

    From Ancient Greek Ἶρις (Îris, “rainbow”).

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    In 2025, 759 girls were named Iris, making it the 57th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2022, with 762 births (#66).

    0400800 1996200020052010201520202025
    11,112
    babies named Iris, 1996–2025
    #57
    rank in 2025
    2022
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Iris with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Iris at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 3,729 girls born in the United States were named Iris, the 61st most popular girls’ name that year.

    02,0004,000 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    102,320
    babies named Iris since 1880
    #61
    rank in 2025
    2025
    peak year

    US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

    Iris in other languages

    Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary

    Iiris
    Finnish
    Írisz
    Hungarian
    アイリス
    Airisu
    Japanese
    Íris
    Portuguese
    Íris
    Slovak

    Spelled Iris in Danish, Dutch, Estonian, French, German, Norwegian and Swedish too.

    Famous people named Iris

    36 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Iris Mittenaere
      French beauty pageant winner (born 1993)
    • Iris Apfel
      American interior designer and fashion icon (1921–2024)
    • Iris Chang
      Chinese-American journalist and author of historical books (1968–2004)
    • Iris Apatow
      American actress, born 2002
    • Iris Marion Young
      American philosopher (1949-2006)
    • Iris Adrian
      American actress (1912–1994)
    • Iris van Herpen
      Dutch fashion designer (born 1984)
    • Iris DeMent
      American singer and songwriter, born 1961
    • Iris Strubegger
      Austrian model, born 1984
    • Iris Tanner
      British swimmer, Olympic silver medallist (1906–1971)
    • Iris Love
      American archaeologist (1933-2020)
    • Iris Duquesne
      French Climate activist, born 2003

    More Greek girls’ names

    All 347 names of Greek origin

    Questions

    What does the name Iris mean?
    Iris means “rainbow” in Greek.
    What is the origin of the name Iris?
    From Ancient Greek Ἶρις (Îris, “rainbow”).
    How popular is the name Iris?
    In 2025, 759 girls born in England and Wales were named Iris, ranking 57th. Its peak was 2022, with 762 births.
    Is Iris a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a girl's name: 99% of the 102,320 US babies named Iris since 1880 were girls.
    When was Iris most popular?
    2025 in the United States, when 3,729 babies were named Iris, its highest rank at 61st.