If you think about it, the letter “I” is a pretty incredible letter in the English language. On its own, the letter “I” is a word. But more than that, “I” is the word by which English speakers describe ourselves, our thoughts, feelings and our entire worlds. In that way, “I” contains the vast expanse of human experience that has happened and is happening. “I” has infinite potential.
It is with this level of reverence that we shall now explore beautiful Jewish baby names that begin with the letter “I.” Like the list of Jewish baby names that begin with the letter “F,” this glossary of names may be short. But what it lacks in length, it makes up for in significance, with many of these “I” names coming from biblical Hebrew roots.
Without further ado, here’s my selection of Jewish baby names that begin with the letter “I.”
Girls:
Idit — The best babies are named Idit, and that’s not just because it means “elite” or “best” in Hebrew!
Ilana — Go ahead, name your baby after “Broad City” star Ilana Glazer. You know you want to! Plus, Ilana means “tree” in Hebrew and is a common name for babies born around Tu Bishvat.
Isabel — Coming to Hebrew via Greek and Latin origins, Isabel means “my God is an oath.”
Israela — Am Yisrael Chai? More like: Am Israela Chai. Meaning “wrestled with God” in Hebrew, Israela is the feminine form of the name Israel.
Unisex:
Iman — With Persian origins, the name Iman means “faith.” Fun fact: Iman is a derivative of the Hebrew name Emmanuel/Emanuelle. It’s a lovely baby name option if you want to honor your Iranian Jewish roots.
Ira — Right about now, you’re probably thinking, “Isn’t Ira a masculine name?” Technically, you are correct. However, I personally think Ira could be a great unisex baby name, which is why I’ve placed it in this category. In Hebrew, Ira means “watchful.”
Boys:
Ilan — Like the feminine name Ilana, Ilan means “tree.”
Isaac — There are a lot of great reasons to name your son Isaac. First, Isaac means “laughter” in Hebrew, which is such a joyous name to give to a child. Second, naming your son Isaac honors the second patriarch. And finally, it will almost certainly never go out of style.
Iser — This Yiddish name means “God prevails.”
Israel — Why not name the latest member of the people of Israel something simple? Like, well, Israel! In the Torah, God gives Jacob the name Israel after wrestling with an angel.
Ita — With a name like Ita, your baby is sure to be the next Timothee Chalamet. Or, at the very least, he’ll be an astronomer! In Yiddish, Ita means “star.”
Itamar — Feeling beachy? Name your baby Itamar! In Hebrew, this name means “palm island.” Biblically, Itamar is the son of Aaron, the high priest.
Ivan — Though Ivan is a Russian name, it’s actually a derivative of the Hebrew name Yochanan, which means “God is gracious.” For all the movie buffs out there, Ivan Reitman is the Jewish filmmaker who directed “Ghostbusters.”
Click here for a full list of Jewish baby names that start with the letter “I.”
