Fun Facts About the Name Izumi
- 167 babies named Izumi: U.S. records list 167 babies given the name Izumi from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Izumi Mean?
Izumi is a Japanese name, most often written 泉, a kanji meaning "spring" or "fountain" - a place where water rises naturally from the ground. The word izumi is a native Japanese word (yamato kotoba) rather than a borrowing from Chinese, and it is recorded in classical Japanese as the ordinary noun for a spring.
One commonly cited explanation traces the word to izu, an old form of the verb "to come out" (出づ), combined with mi, an old word for "water" (水), which would give the sense "water that comes out." This is a proposal rather than a settled fact, and the oldest form of the word is not fully explained.
Because Japanese given names can be written with different characters, Izumi also appears with other spellings, such as 和 (peace, harmony) together with 美 (beauty), or 出 (to go out) together with 水 (water). With those spellings the meaning follows the individual characters rather than the word izumi itself. The reading stays the same; only the characters and the resulting sense change.
Izumi Name History & Origins
Izumi began as an ordinary Japanese noun for a spring of water and has long served as a place name as well. Izumi Province (和泉国, Izumi no kuni) covered what is now southern Osaka Prefecture; it was separated from the older Kawachi Province in the Nara period, a split usually dated to the 8th century. The province name was first written with the single character 泉, and the two-character form 和泉 was adopted later with the reading left unchanged. The reason for adding 和 is not certain, and explanations differ.
The place name also became a surname and, from there, a given name. Izumi Shikibu, a Heian-period waka poet of the late 10th and early 11th centuries, is one of the best-known early bearers of the name. She was a daughter of Ōe no Masamune, who held office in Izumi Province, and her name was a court byname taken from that place connection rather than a personal name given at birth.
In modern Japan, Izumi is used both as a surname and as a given name, most often for women. Older English texts sometimes write the name as Idzumi, reflecting a romanization that is no longer standard.
How Popular is the Name Izumi?
Izumi has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2025. Its best rank was #5,999 in 2025.
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 | #5,999 | 20 | 0.0012% |
| 2024 | #6,737 | 17 | 0.0011% |
| 2023 | #9,872 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2022 | #6,062 | 20 | 0.0012% |
| 2021 | #12,720 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2020 | #12,677 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2019 | #11,794 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2018 | #14,520 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2017 | #12,063 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2014 | #9,783 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2013 | #15,359 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2012 | #14,069 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2011 | #9,381 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2010 | #18,061 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2009 | #14,263 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2008 | #16,184 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2003 | #16,721 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1998 | #15,044 | 5 | 0.0003% |
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 More Lists with Name Izumi
Most Popular Girl Names That Start with I
Short Girl Names That Start with I
How the Name Izumi 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 find the best contentment in life when you own your own home and provide well for your family and loved ones. You have a great sense of responsibility and duty. You are comforting, appreciative and affectionate. Your obligation in life is to hold justice and truth, and if you follow the Law, you can find the great happiness and satisfaction.
✦ Izumi's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Izumi's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.