Fun Facts About the Name Irene
- A favorite of earlier generations: Irene appeared in the U.S. top 100 in 2 separate runs, totaling 64 years. Its last run lasted 1 consecutive years, from 1950 through 1950.
- More than 356 thousand babies named Irene: U.S. records list 356,796 babies given the name Irene from 1880 through 2025. Even 1,350 boys received the name Irene - about 1 boy for every 263 girls.
What Does the Name Irene Mean?
Irene is a Greek name meaning "peace," from the noun eirēnē (εἰρήνη). In Greek myth, Eirene was one of the Horae, the goddess of peace and of spring, a daughter of Zeus and Themis; the Romans identified her with Pax. The sense "peace" is the literal meaning of the Greek word, not a later symbolic reading attached to the name. It passed into Latin as Irene and was taken up by early Christians, for whom peace also carried a religious sense.
Irene Name History & Origins
The name belonged to the Greek-speaking world from early on, where it named both the mythological goddess of peace and, later, Christian saints. Among the earliest is Saint Irene of Thessalonica, remembered with her sisters Agape and Chionia as a martyr, traditionally in the early fourth century under Diocletian. Since the name meant "peace," it suited Christian naming, and it appears in Eastern Orthodox calendars.
The best-known historical bearer is Irene of Athens (c. 752 - 803), who became empress of Byzantium through her marriage to Leo IV. After his death she ruled as regent for their son Constantine VI and later as sole empress, and she convened the Second Council of Nicaea in 787, which ended the first period of iconoclasm and restored the veneration of icons. She is honored as a saint in the Orthodox Church. Another saint, Irene of Hungary (1088 - 1134), married the Byzantine emperor John II Komnenos.
From Greek and Latin the name spread across Europe in several forms: French Irène, Italian and Spanish Irene, German Irene, and Russian and other Slavic Irina. In English it appears as Irene, matching the Latin form. A well-known modern fictional bearer is Irene Adler in Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories.
How Popular is the Name Irene?
Irene ranked among the top 100 U.S. names from 1883 through 1945, then returned in 1950 and remained through 1950.
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 | #651 | 442 | 0.0275% |
| 2024 | #638 | 461 | 0.0286% |
| 2023 | #675 | 435 | 0.0271% |
| 2022 | #661 | 448 | 0.0273% |
| 2021 | #674 | 438 | 0.0267% |
| 2020 | #620 | 472 | 0.0292% |
| 2019 | #633 | 469 | 0.0280% |
| 2018 | #639 | 466 | 0.0274% |
| 2017 | #588 | 508 | 0.0294% |
| 2016 | #659 | 444 | 0.0251% |
| 2015 | #629 | 453 | 0.0254% |
| 2014 | #663 | 432 | 0.0242% |
| 2013 | #644 | 439 | 0.0250% |
| 2012 | #651 | 437 | 0.0248% |
| 2011 | #692 | 406 | 0.0231% |
| 2010 | #693 | 411 | 0.0231% |
| 2009 | #625 | 483 | 0.0263% |
| 2008 | #638 | 483 | 0.0255% |
| 2007 | #636 | 467 | 0.0243% |
| 2006 | #590 | 495 | 0.0260% |
| 2005 | #580 | 491 | 0.0266% |
| 2004 | #535 | 531 | 0.0289% |
| 2003 | #581 | 475 | 0.0260% |
| 2002 | #505 | 545 | 0.0303% |
| 2001 | #487 | 573 | 0.0318% |
| 2000 | #459 | 605 | 0.0333% |
| 1999 | #474 | 555 | 0.0313% |
| 1998 | #488 | 521 | 0.0295% |
| 1997 | #431 | 595 | 0.0342% |
| 1996 | #415 | 614 | 0.0350% |
| 1995 | #426 | 610 | 0.0347% |
| 1994 | #419 | 598 | 0.0335% |
| 1993 | #458 | 546 | 0.0302% |
| 1992 | #426 | 592 | 0.0321% |
| 1991 | #392 | 651 | 0.0347% |
| 1990 | #385 | 686 | 0.0361% |
| 1989 | #390 | 637 | 0.0346% |
| 1988 | #376 | 641 | 0.0360% |
| 1987 | #362 | 654 | 0.0376% |
| 1986 | #387 | 596 | 0.0347% |
| 1985 | #353 | 668 | 0.0388% |
| 1984 | #320 | 736 | 0.0437% |
| 1983 | #307 | 749 | 0.0448% |
| 1982 | #315 | 773 | 0.0456% |
| 1981 | #304 | 799 | 0.0479% |
| 1980 | #291 | 850 | 0.0512% |
| 1979 | #298 | 799 | 0.0498% |
| 1978 | #323 | 708 | 0.0462% |
| 1977 | #313 | 760 | 0.0496% |
| 1976 | #295 | 773 | 0.0528% |
| 1975 | #315 | 723 | 0.0496% |
| 1974 | #285 | 846 | 0.0576% |
| 1973 | #287 | 847 | 0.0581% |
| 1972 | #307 | 792 | 0.0521% |
| 1971 | #290 | 970 | 0.0583% |
| 1970 | #275 | 1,071 | 0.0613% |
| 1969 | #262 | 1,108 | 0.0657% |
| 1968 | #238 | 1,173 | 0.0715% |
| 1967 | #240 | 1,196 | 0.0724% |
| 1966 | #235 | 1,286 | 0.0760% |
| 1965 | #211 | 1,555 | 0.0881% |
| 1964 | #210 | 1,663 | 0.0878% |
| 1963 | #201 | 1,760 | 0.0913% |
| 1962 | #205 | 1,760 | 0.0895% |
| 1961 | #193 | 1,911 | 0.0947% |
| 1960 | #187 | 2,034 | 0.1006% |
| 1959 | #179 | 2,099 | 0.1037% |
| 1958 | #175 | 2,151 | 0.1069% |
| 1957 | #169 | 2,261 | 0.1106% |
| 1956 | #159 | 2,341 | 0.1166% |
| 1955 | #147 | 2,433 | 0.1244% |
| 1954 | #140 | 2,656 | 0.1368% |
| 1953 | #127 | 2,800 | 0.1488% |
| 1952 | #121 | 3,018 | 0.1628% |
| 1951 | #105 | 3,394 | 0.1885% |
| 1950 | #92 | 3,825 | 0.2233% |
| 1949 | #111 | 2,955 | 0.1727% |
| 1948 | #111 | 3,043 | 0.1792% |
| 1947 | #107 | 3,293 | 0.1858% |
| 1946 | #102 | 3,116 | 0.1983% |
| 1945 | #97 | 2,883 | 0.2206% |
| 1944 | #91 | 3,086 | 0.2325% |
| 1943 | #85 | 3,299 | 0.2364% |
| 1942 | #80 | 3,383 | 0.2505% |
| 1941 | #74 | 3,370 | 0.2789% |
| 1940 | #73 | 3,394 | 0.2968% |
| 1939 | #74 | 3,331 | 0.3038% |
| 1938 | #71 | 3,555 | 0.3222% |
| 1937 | #62 | 3,674 | 0.3453% |
| 1936 | #57 | 3,817 | 0.3669% |
| 1935 | #52 | 3,940 | 0.3757% |
| 1934 | #49 | 4,346 | 0.4162% |
| 1933 | #46 | 4,506 | 0.4471% |
| 1932 | #43 | 5,200 | 0.4873% |
| 1931 | #37 | 5,616 | 0.5275% |
| 1930 | #33 | 6,463 | 0.5740% |
| 1929 | #29 | 7,039 | 0.6304% |
| 1928 | #28 | 7,731 | 0.6703% |
| 1927 | #21 | 8,607 | 0.7218% |
| 1926 | #21 | 9,169 | 0.7735% |
| 1925 | #19 | 9,440 | 0.7754% |
| 1924 | #18 | 9,928 | 0.7950% |
| 1923 | #17 | 10,053 | 0.8333% |
| 1922 | #17 | 10,173 | 0.8470% |
| 1921 | #18 | 10,624 | 0.8616% |
| 1920 | #17 | 10,072 | 0.8405% |
| 1919 | #16 | 9,712 | 0.8594% |
| 1918 | #16 | 9,774 | 0.8443% |
| 1917 | #17 | 9,163 | 0.8474% |
| 1916 | #17 | 9,035 | 0.8651% |
| 1915 | #17 | 8,323 | 0.8460% |
| 1914 | #22 | 6,197 | 0.8137% |
| 1913 | #21 | 5,335 | 0.8542% |
| 1912 | #22 | 4,646 | 0.8324% |
| 1911 | #21 | 3,502 | 0.8372% |
| 1910 | #21 | 3,281 | 0.8275% |
| 1909 | #20 | 2,961 | 0.8528% |
| 1908 | #23 | 2,732 | 0.8172% |
| 1907 | #22 | 2,617 | 0.8215% |
| 1906 | #20 | 2,423 | 0.8205% |
| 1905 | #24 | 2,357 | 0.8083% |
| 1904 | #26 | 2,212 | 0.8033% |
| 1903 | #28 | 2,001 | 0.7638% |
| 1902 | #26 | 2,210 | 0.8369% |
| 1901 | #30 | 1,879 | 0.7851% |
| 1900 | #31 | 2,264 | 0.7552% |
| 1899 | #34 | 1,703 | 0.7308% |
| 1898 | #34 | 1,902 | 0.7350% |
| 1897 | #38 | 1,587 | 0.6776% |
| 1896 | #41 | 1,593 | 0.6696% |
| 1895 | #43 | 1,428 | 0.6112% |
| 1894 | #43 | 1,347 | 0.6042% |
| 1893 | #51 | 1,111 | 0.5218% |
| 1892 | #51 | 1,107 | 0.5213% |
| 1891 | #52 | 950 | 0.5122% |
| 1890 | #60 | 893 | 0.4691% |
| 1889 | #63 | 737 | 0.4132% |
| 1888 | #66 | 722 | 0.4042% |
| 1887 | #73 | 504 | 0.3453% |
| 1886 | #78 | 437 | 0.3024% |
| 1885 | #82 | 376 | 0.2826% |
| 1884 | #95 | 324 | 0.2511% |
| 1883 | #100 | 260 | 0.2315% |
| 1882 | #104 | 232 | 0.2151% |
| 1881 | #102 | 206 | 0.2240% |
| 1880 | #102 | 204 | 0.2242% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | #12,954 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1994 | #8,159 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1989 | #8,393 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1986 | #5,054 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1985 | #4,873 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1984 | #5,192 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1983 | #6,674 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1982 | #5,260 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1981 | #5,793 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1980 | #4,283 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1977 | #5,410 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1976 | #5,957 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1974 | #4,350 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1973 | #4,746 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1972 | #4,162 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1970 | #5,033 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1968 | #3,496 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1964 | #3,140 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1963 | #3,172 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1962 | #2,934 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 1961 | #3,210 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1960 | #3,200 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1959 | #3,772 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1958 | #2,917 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 1957 | #2,909 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 1956 | #3,074 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1955 | #2,665 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1954 | #1,998 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 1953 | #2,341 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1952 | #2,432 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1951 | #3,203 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1950 | #2,069 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1949 | #2,889 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1948 | #2,065 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1947 | #2,304 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1946 | #1,986 | 14 | 0.0009% |
| 1945 | #2,317 | 10 | 0.0007% |
| 1944 | #1,603 | 19 | 0.0014% |
| 1943 | #2,642 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 1942 | #1,652 | 19 | 0.0014% |
| 1941 | #2,133 | 12 | 0.0010% |
| 1940 | #1,263 | 29 | 0.0025% |
| 1939 | #2,113 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1938 | #1,858 | 15 | 0.0014% |
| 1937 | #1,321 | 26 | 0.0024% |
| 1936 | #1,282 | 27 | 0.0026% |
| 1935 | #1,518 | 21 | 0.0020% |
| 1934 | #1,480 | 22 | 0.0021% |
| 1933 | #1,040 | 39 | 0.0039% |
| 1932 | #1,620 | 20 | 0.0019% |
| 1931 | #1,265 | 30 | 0.0029% |
| 1930 | #1,145 | 38 | 0.0035% |
| 1929 | #1,065 | 42 | 0.0039% |
| 1928 | #1,069 | 43 | 0.0039% |
| 1927 | #1,188 | 37 | 0.0033% |
| 1926 | #1,103 | 42 | 0.0038% |
| 1925 | #1,290 | 32 | 0.0029% |
| 1924 | #1,395 | 29 | 0.0026% |
| 1923 | #1,185 | 37 | 0.0034% |
| 1922 | #1,188 | 37 | 0.0034% |
| 1921 | #1,281 | 33 | 0.0030% |
| 1920 | #1,569 | 24 | 0.0023% |
| 1919 | #1,241 | 33 | 0.0034% |
| 1918 | #1,627 | 22 | 0.0022% |
| 1917 | #1,415 | 25 | 0.0027% |
| 1916 | #1,398 | 25 | 0.0028% |
| 1915 | #1,832 | 16 | 0.0019% |
| 1914 | #1,731 | 14 | 0.0021% |
| 1913 | #1,627 | 12 | 0.0023% |
| 1912 | #865 | 27 | 0.0063% |
| 1911 | #1,333 | 8 | 0.0035% |
| 1910 | #956 | 12 | 0.0062% |
| 1909 | #923 | 11 | 0.0067% |
| 1908 | #1,065 | 8 | 0.0052% |
| 1907 | #647 | 16 | 0.0109% |
| 1906 | #1,183 | 6 | 0.0045% |
| 1905 | #1,164 | 6 | 0.0045% |
| 1904 | #1,017 | 7 | 0.0055% |
| 1903 | #876 | 8 | 0.0067% |
| 1902 | #712 | 11 | 0.0090% |
| 1901 | #543 | 14 | 0.0131% |
| 1900 | #940 | 9 | 0.0060% |
| 1899 | #751 | 9 | 0.0085% |
| 1898 | #779 | 9 | 0.0073% |
| 1897 | #704 | 10 | 0.0089% |
| 1895 | #1,168 | 5 | 0.0043% |
| 1894 | #1,164 | 5 | 0.0043% |
| 1893 | #965 | 6 | 0.0053% |
| 1892 | #904 | 7 | 0.0057% |
| 1888 | #1,103 | 5 | 0.0041% |
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 Irene
Carl appears in several baby name collections based on U.S. popularity records, naming trends, and name characteristics. Explore these lists to discover other names with similar histories, styles, or features.
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How the Name Irene 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.
✦ Irene's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Irene's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.