Iris Girl

Popularity: #60 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: EYE-ris //ˈaɪ.rɪs//

Origin: Greek; Latin

Meaning: Greek: rainbow; Latin: a flower

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Iris has its roots in ancient Greek, derived from the word 'iris,' meaning 'rainbow.' In Greek mythology, Iris was the personification of the rainbow and a messenger of the gods, particularly associated with Hera. The name entered Latin as 'Iris,' maintaining its original meaning, and subsequently made its way into Old French before being adopted into Middle English.

This etymological journey reflects the name's deep ties to nature and mythology, emphasizing beauty and connection between the divine and the earthly realms. Historically, the name Iris has been borne by various notable figures, including saints and scholars.

One of the earliest references can be traced to the 4th century, with Saint Iris, a lesser-known Christian martyr. The name also appears in classical literature, notably in works by poets such as Homer, where the goddess Iris is depicted as a swift messenger, further cementing the name's association with communication and transition.

The Renaissance period saw a revival of interest in classical names, including Iris, as scholars and artists sought inspiration from ancient texts and mythology. Culturally, Iris has been associated with various symbolic meanings, including hope, faith, and the connection between heaven and earth, largely due to its mythological roots.

The flower named after the goddess, the iris, has also been a symbol of wisdom and courage throughout history, often appearing in art and literature. The name has several diminutive forms, such as Risa or Isa, which have been used in various cultures, reflecting the name's adaptability and enduring appeal across different societies.

Famous people named Iris

In this section, you will find notable people named Iris. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Iris who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Iris who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Iris Apfel is a businesswoman and fashion icon best known for her unique style, interior design, and collaborations with various fashion brands.

Iris Murdoch is a novelist and philosopher best known for The Sea, The Sea, and A Severed Head.

Iris Dement is a singer-songwriter best known for her albums Infamous Angel, My Life, and The Trackless Woods.

Iris Chang is an author best known for her book The Rape of Nanking and her work on World War II history.

Iris Berben is an actress best known for her roles in the films The Black Forest and The Last Train.

Fictional characters named Iris

The following list of fictional characters named Iris is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Iris West is a fictional character from the comic book series The Flash. She is a journalist and the love interest of the superhero Barry Allen, playing a crucial role in his life and adventures.

Iris is a fictional character from the anime and manga series Digimon Tamers. They are one of the main characters who partners with a Digimon and helps to combat the threats posed by rogue Digimon.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Iris, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

LilyRoseDaisyVioletJasminePoppy

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Iris. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

IslaIvyAylaAerisEliseMiraNinaCarysTessaLila

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Iris was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Iris has ranked as high as #160 nationally, which occurred in 2025, and has been most popular in California, New York, Texas, North Carolina, and Illinois.

In the past 5 years the name Iris has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Iris is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Iris was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Iris.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 3,741 12 3,729
2024 3,153 17 3,136
2023 2,956 17 2,939
2022 2,959 24 2,935
2021 2,596 14 2,582
2020 2,192 14 2,178
2019 2,202 6 2,196
2018 2,134 6 2,128
2017 1,996 6 1,990
2016 1,751 0 1,751
2015 1,519 9 1,510
2014 1,330 0 1,330
2013 1,251 0 1,251
2012 1,139 5 1,134
2011 1,056 5 1,051
2010 1,011 0 1,011
2009 1,038 0 1,038
2008 973 0 973
2007 1,066 0 1,066
2006 885 5 880
2005 879 0 879
2004 839 7 832
2003 786 0 786
2002 772 0 772
2001 733 0 733
2000 685 0 685
1999 683 9 674
1998 570 0 570
1997 486 5 481
1996 453 0 453
1995 497 6 491
1994 525 6 519
1993 539 0 539
1992 570 6 564
1991 648 7 641
1990 618 8 610
1989 549 8 541
1988 495 8 487
1987 440 7 433
1986 492 6 486
1985 477 10 467
1984 472 0 472
1983 394 5 389
1982 471 0 471
1981 499 10 489
1980 509 5 504
1979 500 8 492
1978 454 5 449
1977 375 0 375
1976 430 0 430
1975 420 6 414
1974 392 0 392
1973 513 0 513
1972 436 0 436
1971 539 0 539
1970 653 8 645
1969 612 8 604
1968 591 6 585
1967 441 6 435
1966 435 0 435
1965 515 6 509
1964 542 7 535
1963 566 9 557
1962 667 7 660
1961 715 5 710
1960 777 0 777
1959 769 0 769
1958 796 0 796
1957 912 11 901
1956 989 12 977
1955 894 6 888
1954 826 7 819
1953 930 8 922
1952 930 10 920
1951 902 9 893
1950 996 10 986
1949 931 11 920
1948 943 8 935
1947 871 6 865
1946 803 6 797
1945 645 0 645
1944 724 7 717
1943 717 6 711
1942 780 6 774
1941 707 7 700
1940 759 9 750
1939 749 0 749
1938 736 5 731
1937 786 7 779
1936 798 10 788
1935 826 9 817
1934 841 18 823
1933 773 8 765
1932 867 17 850
1931 912 17 895
1930 953 15 938
1929 997 16 981
1928 1,025 15 1,010
1927 1,026 5 1,021
1926 970 5 965
1925 957 10 947
1924 897 10 887
1923 892 17 875
1922 664 11 653
1921 712 12 700
1920 646 13 633
1919 689 12 677
1918 660 5 655
1917 628 11 617
1916 586 9 577
1915 576 13 563
1914 436 11 425
1913 316 6 310
1912 225 5 220
1911 173 0 173
1910 143 0 143
1909 138 0 138
1908 131 0 131
1907 141 5 136
1906 123 0 123
1905 100 0 100
1904 84 0 84
1903 65 0 65
1902 52 0 52
1901 46 0 46
1900 62 0 62
1899 44 0 44
1898 52 0 52
1897 56 0 56
1896 49 0 49
1895 44 0 44
1894 28 0 28
1893 28 0 28
1892 29 0 29
1891 25 0 25
1890 19 0 19
1889 20 0 20
1888 17 0 17
1887 10 0 10
1886 12 0 12
1885 15 0 15
1884 14 0 14
1883 7 0 7
1882 5 0 5
1881 8 0 8
1880 11 0 11

Top States for Iris (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 394
13%
TX 306
10%
FL 129
4%
OH 128
4%
NY 119
4%
IL 113
4%
NC 102
3%
PA 99
3%
GA 97
3%
TN 93
3%
IN 92
3%
MI 89
3%
WA 87
3%
AZ 81
3%
MO 79
3%
VA 71
2%
KY 64
2%
UT 60
2%
MA 56
2%
CO 52
2%
OK 52
2%
NJ 51
2%
KS 50
2%
OR 50
2%
MN 49
2%
MD 48
2%
IA 41
1%
AL 40
1%
LA 40
1%
SC 37
1%
WI 36
1%
AR 36
1%
ID 24
1%
CT 22
1%
NV 22
1%
NM 22
1%
MS 21
1%
NE 20
1%
WV 18
1%
ME 17
1%
MT 17
1%
AK 14
0%
ND 13
0%
WY 11
0%
NH 11
0%
HI 11
0%
VT 10
0%
RI 9
0%
SD 8
0%
DE 7
0%
DC 6
0%