Iris: meaning and UK use

What does Iris mean?

Iris is connected with the Greek word for rainbow and the goddess of that name. Families may also choose it for the flower.

Language or name family covered

Greek; also flower name

Meaning or derivation

Rainbow

Our browsing group

girl; vintage, nature

Browsing groups describe our editorial shortlist, not rules about who may use a name. A name can cross languages and genders.

Sources for this entry — reviewed 2026-10-07:

• Behind the Name — Iris

Pronunciation and related forms

EYE-riss (English)

English respellings are approximate; IPA is labelled where used. Follow the pronunciation a person or family chooses, and check it with a speaker of the intended language if that connection matters to you.

No variants or nicknames have been verified for this entry. A family nickname does not need to be an established dictionary form.

How popular is Iris?

In 2025, 759 baby girls in England and Wales were registered as Iris, making it the 57th most popular girls’ name. That is up 4 places on 2024, when it ranked 61st. Ten years earlier, in 2015, it ranked 102nd, so it has climbed 45 places in a decade. 2025 is its highest ranking in the ONS series, which starts in 1996. These figures cover England and Wales, not the whole UK.

2025 rank (girls)

57th

2025 registrations

759

Best rank in this series

57th (2025)

Every year from 1996 to 2025

Iris: rank and number of baby girls by year (ONS)

Year	Rank	Babies
2025	57	759
2024	61	707
2023	61	741
2022	66	762
2021	70	746
2020	77	703
2019	81	658
2018	82	634
2017	81	654
2016	84	648
2015	102	558
2014	108	522
2013	106	505
2012	122	476
2011	147	376
2010	167	316
2009	195	264
2008	205	251
2007	222	229
2006	325	134
2005	361	110
2004	340	113
2003	412	87
2002	493	61
2001	710	35
2000	1195	16
1999	1473	12
1998	1480	12
1997	1234	15
1996	1914	8

The sum of published counts in this 1996–2025 girls series is 11,112. This is a lower bound where years are suppressed, not the number of living people with the name. A best rank is the best position within this series; it does not establish an all-time record.

Sources: ONS release, 2025; girls' dataset; boys' dataset. Our 20 top-ten positions were checked against Table 1 in the 2025 workbooks. The history chart and spelling comparisons come from the separate ONS 1996–2025 workbook, checked 7 October 2026. Spelling variants are separate entries. Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate statistics.

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Names to compare with Iris

These suggestions share a browsing group and one or more of our style tags or source-context labels. They are taste comparisons, not etymological relatives or a popularity ranking.

• Daisyvintage, nature · The daisy flower
• Hazelvintage, nature · The hazel tree or hazel colour
• Ivyvintage, nature · The ivy plant
• Rosievintage, nature · A short form of Rose
• Adavintage · From an element meaning noble
• Beatricevintage · A form of Beatrix

Read the UK naming guide for the difference between inspiration lists and official statistics, or return to the full name finder.

Registering or changing the name

Once you decide on Iris, confirm the registration process for your UK nation with the register office. If you later want to change a registered name, the route depends on the circumstances and may require consent from people with parental responsibility.

Start with GOV.UK birth registration or GOV.UK guidance on changing a child’s name. Our registration guide and child name-change guide explain where to find the relevant official process.