Fun Facts About the Name Iris
- Gaining ground: Iris remained in the U.S. top 100 for 4 consecutive years, from 2022 through 2025. In 2025, it gained 10 ranking positions compared with the previous year.
- More than 102 thousand babies named Iris: U.S. records list 102,292 babies given the name Iris from 1880 through 2025. Even 769 boys received the name Iris - about 1 boy for every 132 girls.
What Does the Name Iris Mean?
Iris is a female given name of Greek origin, and its established meaning is "rainbow." It comes from the Greek noun ἶρις (iris), which named the rainbow. In Greek myth, the same word was personified as Iris, the goddess who carried messages for the gods; that mythological role is an association of the name, not a separate etymology.
The iris flower takes its name from the same Greek word. The flower's name refers to the range of colors in many iris blossoms, while the personal name continues the older word for the rainbow. The two uses share a source but are distinct.
Iris Name History & Origins
The Greek word ἶρις appears in early Greek literature as both "rainbow" and the name of the rainbow goddess. In Homer's Iliad, Iris serves as a messenger for Zeus and other gods, moving between divine and human realms. Later Greek and Roman writers kept her as a divine herald, and Latin adopted the name as Iris, preserving the link between the word and the mythological figure.
Iris entered English as a given name through the broader revival of classical names in the modern period. It appears in English literature: in Shakespeare's The Tempest, Iris is a spirit in the masque. That is a well-known literary use, not the name's origin. By the 19th century, Iris was in use as a female name in Britain, Ireland, and the United States, and it continued into the 20th century. The novelist and philosopher Iris Murdoch is a notable modern bearer.
The flower name iris also comes from the Greek rainbow word, but it developed independently as a botanical term. The personal name and the plant name are related through that Greek source, not through one being derived from the other in English.
How Popular is the Name Iris?
Iris recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2025. Iris entered the top 100 U.S. girl names in 2022.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #61 | 3,729 | 0.2320% |
| 2024 | #71 | 3,124 | 0.1937% |
| 2023 | #78 | 2,936 | 0.1832% |
| 2022 | #84 | 2,933 | 0.1790% |
| 2021 | #108 | 2,581 | 0.1574% |
| 2020 | #127 | 2,177 | 0.1348% |
| 2019 | #128 | 2,193 | 0.1307% |
| 2018 | #138 | 2,128 | 0.1251% |
| 2017 | #149 | 1,990 | 0.1153% |
| 2016 | #186 | 1,751 | 0.0988% |
| 2015 | #216 | 1,509 | 0.0846% |
| 2014 | #244 | 1,330 | 0.0745% |
| 2013 | #254 | 1,251 | 0.0713% |
| 2012 | #281 | 1,134 | 0.0644% |
| 2011 | #303 | 1,051 | 0.0598% |
| 2010 | #315 | 1,011 | 0.0569% |
| 2009 | #316 | 1,037 | 0.0565% |
| 2008 | #342 | 973 | 0.0515% |
| 2007 | #317 | 1,066 | 0.0555% |
| 2006 | #369 | 880 | 0.0463% |
| 2005 | #357 | 879 | 0.0476% |
| 2004 | #376 | 832 | 0.0453% |
| 2003 | #388 | 786 | 0.0430% |
| 2002 | #383 | 772 | 0.0430% |
| 2001 | #397 | 733 | 0.0407% |
| 2000 | #414 | 685 | 0.0377% |
| 1999 | #414 | 674 | 0.0380% |
| 1998 | #454 | 570 | 0.0323% |
| 1997 | #506 | 481 | 0.0276% |
| 1996 | #520 | 453 | 0.0258% |
| 1995 | #500 | 491 | 0.0279% |
| 1994 | #483 | 519 | 0.0291% |
| 1993 | #471 | 539 | 0.0298% |
| 1992 | #448 | 564 | 0.0306% |
| 1991 | #398 | 641 | 0.0342% |
| 1990 | #417 | 610 | 0.0321% |
| 1989 | #450 | 541 | 0.0293% |
| 1988 | #463 | 487 | 0.0273% |
| 1987 | #499 | 433 | 0.0249% |
| 1986 | #444 | 486 | 0.0283% |
| 1985 | #459 | 467 | 0.0271% |
| 1984 | #440 | 472 | 0.0280% |
| 1983 | #499 | 389 | 0.0233% |
| 1982 | #451 | 471 | 0.0278% |
| 1981 | #436 | 489 | 0.0293% |
| 1980 | #428 | 504 | 0.0304% |
| 1979 | #425 | 492 | 0.0306% |
| 1978 | #443 | 449 | 0.0293% |
| 1977 | #500 | 374 | 0.0244% |
| 1976 | #451 | 430 | 0.0293% |
| 1975 | #456 | 414 | 0.0284% |
| 1974 | #460 | 391 | 0.0266% |
| 1973 | #395 | 513 | 0.0352% |
| 1972 | #440 | 436 | 0.0287% |
| 1971 | #399 | 539 | 0.0324% |
| 1970 | #371 | 645 | 0.0369% |
| 1969 | #380 | 604 | 0.0358% |
| 1968 | #376 | 585 | 0.0357% |
| 1967 | #456 | 435 | 0.0263% |
| 1966 | #449 | 435 | 0.0257% |
| 1965 | #414 | 509 | 0.0288% |
| 1964 | #424 | 535 | 0.0282% |
| 1963 | #407 | 556 | 0.0288% |
| 1962 | #365 | 660 | 0.0336% |
| 1961 | #359 | 710 | 0.0352% |
| 1960 | #338 | 777 | 0.0384% |
| 1959 | #342 | 769 | 0.0380% |
| 1958 | #332 | 796 | 0.0396% |
| 1957 | #306 | 901 | 0.0441% |
| 1956 | #278 | 977 | 0.0487% |
| 1955 | #291 | 888 | 0.0454% |
| 1954 | #295 | 819 | 0.0422% |
| 1953 | #269 | 922 | 0.0490% |
| 1952 | #262 | 920 | 0.0496% |
| 1951 | #258 | 893 | 0.0496% |
| 1950 | #239 | 986 | 0.0576% |
| 1949 | #249 | 920 | 0.0538% |
| 1948 | #245 | 935 | 0.0551% |
| 1947 | #252 | 865 | 0.0488% |
| 1946 | #253 | 797 | 0.0507% |
| 1945 | #269 | 645 | 0.0493% |
| 1944 | #254 | 717 | 0.0540% |
| 1943 | #260 | 711 | 0.0510% |
| 1942 | #245 | 774 | 0.0573% |
| 1941 | #246 | 700 | 0.0579% |
| 1940 | #221 | 750 | 0.0656% |
| 1939 | #223 | 749 | 0.0683% |
| 1938 | #228 | 731 | 0.0662% |
| 1937 | #215 | 779 | 0.0732% |
| 1936 | #211 | 788 | 0.0757% |
| 1935 | #209 | 817 | 0.0779% |
| 1934 | #216 | 823 | 0.0788% |
| 1933 | #219 | 765 | 0.0759% |
| 1932 | #212 | 850 | 0.0797% |
| 1931 | #204 | 895 | 0.0841% |
| 1930 | #203 | 938 | 0.0833% |
| 1929 | #196 | 981 | 0.0879% |
| 1928 | #200 | 1,010 | 0.0876% |
| 1927 | #198 | 1,021 | 0.0856% |
| 1926 | #199 | 965 | 0.0814% |
| 1925 | #208 | 947 | 0.0778% |
| 1924 | #219 | 887 | 0.0710% |
| 1923 | #218 | 875 | 0.0725% |
| 1922 | #255 | 653 | 0.0544% |
| 1921 | #252 | 700 | 0.0568% |
| 1920 | #262 | 633 | 0.0528% |
| 1919 | #245 | 677 | 0.0599% |
| 1918 | #252 | 655 | 0.0566% |
| 1917 | #251 | 617 | 0.0571% |
| 1916 | #253 | 577 | 0.0553% |
| 1915 | #251 | 563 | 0.0572% |
| 1914 | #253 | 425 | 0.0558% |
| 1913 | #264 | 310 | 0.0496% |
| 1912 | #309 | 220 | 0.0394% |
| 1911 | #301 | 173 | 0.0414% |
| 1910 | #319 | 143 | 0.0361% |
| 1909 | #311 | 138 | 0.0397% |
| 1908 | #310 | 131 | 0.0392% |
| 1907 | #301 | 136 | 0.0427% |
| 1906 | #303 | 123 | 0.0417% |
| 1905 | #339 | 100 | 0.0343% |
| 1904 | #358 | 84 | 0.0305% |
| 1903 | #395 | 65 | 0.0248% |
| 1902 | #431 | 52 | 0.0197% |
| 1901 | #436 | 46 | 0.0192% |
| 1900 | #426 | 62 | 0.0207% |
| 1899 | #441 | 44 | 0.0189% |
| 1898 | #429 | 52 | 0.0201% |
| 1897 | #388 | 56 | 0.0239% |
| 1896 | #412 | 49 | 0.0206% |
| 1895 | #431 | 44 | 0.0188% |
| 1894 | #550 | 28 | 0.0126% |
| 1893 | #524 | 28 | 0.0132% |
| 1892 | #507 | 29 | 0.0137% |
| 1891 | #516 | 25 | 0.0135% |
| 1890 | #609 | 19 | 0.0100% |
| 1889 | #581 | 20 | 0.0112% |
| 1888 | #619 | 17 | 0.0095% |
| 1887 | #763 | 10 | 0.0069% |
| 1886 | #678 | 12 | 0.0083% |
| 1885 | #563 | 15 | 0.0113% |
| 1884 | #570 | 14 | 0.0109% |
| 1883 | #783 | 7 | 0.0062% |
| 1882 | #963 | 5 | 0.0046% |
| 1881 | #649 | 8 | 0.0087% |
| 1880 | #531 | 11 | 0.0121% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #6,954 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2024 | #5,737 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2023 | #5,539 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 2022 | #4,351 | 24 | 0.0014% |
| 2021 | #6,152 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2020 | #6,095 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2019 | #11,296 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2018 | #11,311 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2017 | #11,297 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2015 | #8,293 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2012 | #12,981 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2011 | #13,047 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2006 | #12,759 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 2004 | #9,304 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1999 | #6,734 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1997 | #9,847 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1995 | #8,198 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1994 | #8,160 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1992 | #7,836 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1991 | #6,818 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1990 | #6,060 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1989 | #5,858 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1988 | #5,408 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1987 | #5,726 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1986 | #6,249 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1985 | #4,169 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1983 | #6,675 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1981 | #3,966 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1980 | #6,649 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1979 | #4,581 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1978 | #6,188 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1975 | #5,060 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1970 | #3,647 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1969 | #3,425 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1968 | #3,893 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1967 | #3,728 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1965 | #3,697 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1964 | #3,427 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1963 | #2,943 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 1962 | #3,448 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1961 | #4,330 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1957 | #2,551 | 11 | 0.0005% |
| 1956 | #2,426 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1955 | #3,684 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1954 | #3,287 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1953 | #3,022 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1952 | #2,598 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1951 | #2,754 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1950 | #2,503 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1949 | #2,398 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1948 | #3,148 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1947 | #3,218 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1946 | #3,335 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1944 | #2,981 | 7 | 0.0005% |
| 1943 | #3,376 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1942 | #3,377 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1941 | #2,999 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1940 | #2,568 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1938 | #3,764 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1937 | #3,037 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1936 | #2,366 | 10 | 0.0010% |
| 1935 | #2,620 | 9 | 0.0009% |
| 1934 | #1,696 | 18 | 0.0017% |
| 1933 | #2,857 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1932 | #1,806 | 17 | 0.0016% |
| 1931 | #1,803 | 17 | 0.0016% |
| 1930 | #2,011 | 15 | 0.0014% |
| 1929 | #1,964 | 16 | 0.0015% |
| 1928 | #2,098 | 15 | 0.0014% |
| 1927 | #4,477 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1926 | #4,506 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1925 | #2,841 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1924 | #2,917 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1923 | #1,981 | 17 | 0.0016% |
| 1922 | #2,706 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1921 | #2,552 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1920 | #2,390 | 13 | 0.0012% |
| 1919 | #2,428 | 12 | 0.0012% |
| 1918 | #4,467 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1917 | #2,490 | 11 | 0.0012% |
| 1916 | #2,818 | 9 | 0.0010% |
| 1915 | #2,117 | 13 | 0.0015% |
| 1914 | #2,035 | 11 | 0.0017% |
| 1913 | #2,636 | 6 | 0.0012% |
| 1912 | #2,713 | 5 | 0.0012% |
| 1907 | #1,443 | 5 | 0.0034% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Explore Name Lists Featuring Iris
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How the Name Iris Shapes Your Personality and Life?
Your tendency is to finish whatever you start. You like to use the pen or the needle (writing, fashion design etc). You are loving, compassionate, intuitive and humanitarian. Runs of luck, either good or bad, follow you. You are sympathetic, but at times might be touchy and oversensitive. You may have a gift for writing. You are intuitive and might be interested in the arts, drama or science.
You are always looking for a chance to do your own thing, to be your own person, and to have things done your own way.
✦ Iris's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Iris's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.