Inis
A feminine name of Irish origin meaning "island" or "river meadow".
Name Census estimates that about 82 living Americans carry the first name Inis. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Inis today is around 84 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Inis births was 1920 (32 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Inis. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Inis is about 84 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Inis' were born before 1952.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Inis. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
82
~ 1 in 4,179,931 Americans
Peak year
1920
32 babies that year
Average age
84
years old
1956 SSA rank
#5,545
Tracked since 1891
Popularity
Inis: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Inis from the 1890s through to the 1950s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 213 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Inis by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Inis during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Inis' live
The SSA's state-level files cover 6 states and territories. Kentucky, Missouri, Arkansas recorded the most babies named Inis, while Virginia, Tennessee, Oklahoma recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 15 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Inis
The name Inis is believed to have originated from the Irish language, derived from the word "inish," which means "island" or "water meadow." This name is closely associated with the rich cultural heritage of Ireland and has been in use for centuries.
In ancient Irish mythology, there are several references to islands and places with names that incorporate the word "inis." For instance, Inis Fallon, also known as the Island of the Pillar Stones, is mentioned in the ancient Irish text "The Metrical Dindshenchas." This suggests that the name Inis has deep roots in Irish folklore and tradition.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Inis can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. The entry from the year 1171 mentions an individual named Inis Ua Maoil Mhuaidh, who was a prominent figure in the Kingdom of Connacht during that time.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Inis. Inis Ní Chuilleanáin, born in 1945, is a renowned Irish poet and academic who has received numerous accolades, including the prestigious Griffin Poetry Prize in 2010. Her work explores themes of identity, memory, and the Irish experience.
Another prominent figure is Inis L. Claude Jr., an American lawyer and civil rights activist born in 1924. He played a crucial role in the desegregation of public schools in the United States and was instrumental in the landmark Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education in 1954.
In the realm of sports, Inis Stanković, a Serbian basketball player born in 1985, has made a name for himself on the international stage. He has represented his country in numerous tournaments and is considered one of the best shooting guards in European basketball.
Inis Bigović, born in 1950, is a Bosnian actress who has appeared in numerous films and television shows throughout her career. She is celebrated for her versatile performances and has received several awards for her contributions to Bosnian cinema.
Lastly, Inis Buchanan, an American writer and journalist born in 1940, is known for her non-fiction works that explore various social and cultural issues. Her book "The Quotable Woman" has been widely acclaimed for celebrating the voices and wisdom of women throughout history.
People
Inis + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Inis as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with I
Other first names starting with I with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Inis: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Inis?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 82 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Inis going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 4,179,931 US residents.
Is Inis a common name?
We classify Inis as "Very Rare". It ranks above 61.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 691 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Inis most popular?
The single biggest year for Inis was 1920, when 32 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Inis is about 84 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Inis a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Inis in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.