Iren
From Greek origin, meaning "peace".
Name Census estimates that about 77 living Americans carry the first name Iren. It is a predominantly male name (94.0% of registrations). The average person named Iren today is around 21 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Iren births was 2019 (9 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Iren. 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
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Iren. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
77
~ 1 in 4,451,355 Americans
Peak year
2019
9 babies that year
Average age
21
years old
2019 SSA rank
#5,144
Tracked since 1919
Gender
Gender distribution for Iren
Iren leans heavily male at 94.0% of total registrations, but 5 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Iren as a male name
- Ranked #8,456 in 2019
- 9 male births in 2019
- Peak: 2019 (9 births)
Iren as a female name
- Ranked #5,144 in 1919
- 5 female births in 1919
- Peak: 1919 (5 births)
Popularity
Iren: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Iren from the 1910s through to the 2010s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 29 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Iren 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 Iren during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Iren
The name Iren has its origins in the Greek language, derived from the word "eirene," which means "peace." It is a feminine form of the name Irene, which has been used across various cultures and time periods.
The earliest recorded use of the name Iren dates back to ancient Greece, where it was given to children as a symbol of peace and tranquility. In Greek mythology, Eirene was the personification of peace, often depicted carrying a cornucopia and an olive branch.
During the Byzantine era, the name Iren gained popularity among Christian families, as it was associated with the concept of inner peace and spiritual harmony. It was also used to honor several notable figures in early Christian history, such as St. Irene of Rome, who lived in the 4th century AD.
One of the most famous historical figures with the name Iren was Iren of Athens (790-848 AD), a Byzantine princess and scholar. She is renowned for her contributions to the preservation of ancient Greek texts and her patronage of the arts and literature.
In the 12th century, Iren of Hungary (1088-1134) was a Hungarian princess and the wife of John II Comnenus, the Byzantine Emperor. She played a significant role in the political affairs of the Byzantine Empire during her husband's reign.
Another notable figure was Iren of Edessa (circa 1120-1200), a Syrian philosopher and theologian who wrote extensively on Christian doctrine and influenced the development of Eastern Christian thought.
In the 16th century, Iren of Friesland (1543-1591) was a Dutch noblewoman and a prominent figure in the Dutch Revolt against Spanish rule. She is remembered for her bravery and her efforts to protect the people of Friesland during the conflict.
Iren of Moldavia (1555-1619) was a Moldavian princess and the wife of Petru Șchiopul, the Prince of Moldavia. She played a significant role in the cultural and religious life of Moldavia, supporting the construction of churches and monasteries.
While the name Iren has experienced periods of popularity and decline over the centuries, its origins and associations with peace and tranquility have endured across various cultures and regions.
People
Iren + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Iren 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
Iren: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Iren?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 77 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Iren 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 4,451,355 US residents.
Is Iren a common name?
We classify Iren as "Very Rare". It ranks above 60.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 83 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Iren most popular?
The single biggest year for Iren was 2019, when 9 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Iren is about 21 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Iren a male name?
Yes, 94.0% of people registered as Iren in the SSA data are male. 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.