French Names that Start with I

Here is a list of French names that start with I. The page includes French names for boys and girls from different eras, as well as last names.

The list is divided into several sections. The modern names are baby names and other names popular in the 2000s, while the traditional names are those common among people born in the 1900s.

The names come from data provided by the French National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies, with a few additions from Wikipedia, Reddit and other sources. All of the names also appear in my Random French Name Generator.

• Traditional Male French Names that Start with I
• Modern Male French Names that Start with I
• Traditional Female French Names that Start with I
• Modern Female French Names that Start with I
• French Last Names that Start with I

French Male Baby Names Popular in the 1900s, Starting with I

No names

In historical France, there were very few male names starting with I. From the 1960s onward, France became increasingly multicultural, particularly due to immigration from North Africa, the Middle East, and sub-Saharan Africa. Many of the I-names popular today are of Arabic origin.

Common French Male Names That Start with I

• Ibrahim
• Ilan
• Ilyan
• Ilyes
• Imran
• Isaac
• Ismaël
• Issa

Traditional 1900s French Female Names that Begin with I

• Ida
• Ingrid
• Inès
• Irma
• Irène
• Isabelle

Contemporary French Female Names Starting with I

• Ilona
• Inaya
• Ines
• Inès
• Iris

French Surnames Beginning with Letter I

• Imbert

Most French surnames developed in the Middle Ages from given names, occupations, nicknames, or places. The Latin-to-Old French linguistic shift rarely produced words beginning with I. In Latin, “I” and “J” were originally the same letter, and the distinction between them emerged only later. As a result, many words that started with I in Latin evolved to start with J in French.

About this List

I have made similar lists of French names for all the letters of the alphabet from A to Z:

• Names that Start with A
• Names that Start with B
• Names that Start with C
• Names that Start with D
• Names that Start with E
• Names that Start with F
• Names that Start with G
• Names that Start with H
• Names that Start with I
• Names that Start with J
• Names that Start with K
• Names that Start with L
• Names that Start with M
• Names that Start with N
• Names that Start with O
• Names that Start with P
• Names that Start with Q
• Names that Start with R
• Names that Start with S
• Names that Start with T
• Names that Start with U
• Names that Start with V
• Names that Start with W
• Names that Start with X
• Names that Start with Y
• Names that Start with Z

About Arimo Travels

My website, Arimo Travels, mostly focuses on sustainable travel, although I do write about other topics related to cultures and randomness as well.