Irey
A feminine given name of uncertain origin, possibly derived from "Irie".
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Irey. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Irey today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Irey births was 1915 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Irey. 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 Irey. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1915
6 babies that year
Average age
-
1915 SSA rank
#3,610
Tracked since 1915
Popularity
Irey: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Irey 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 Irey during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 6 | 0 | 6 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Irey
The name Irey originates from the Old Persian language and dates back to the Achaemenid Empire of ancient Iran, which existed from around 550 to 330 BC. It is believed to be derived from the Persian word "iri," which means "virtuous" or "noble." The name may also have roots in the ancient Avestan language, which was used in parts of modern-day Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Irey can be found in the Behistun Inscription, a trilingual inscription carved into a rock face in present-day Iran. This inscription, dating back to around 520 BC, was commissioned by the Persian king Darius the Great and contains references to various individuals, including those with names similar to Irey.
In ancient Persian mythology, there is a figure known as Iraj, which shares similarities with the name Irey. Iraj was a legendary prince and the youngest son of the mythical king Fereydun. He was known for his wisdom, justice, and compassion, and is celebrated in Persian literature and folklore.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Irey. One of the earliest was Irey Ardasher, a Persian nobleman and military commander who lived during the Sassanid Empire in the 5th century AD. He played a significant role in the campaigns against the Byzantine Empire and was known for his strategic skills.
Another notable figure was Irey Khusrau, a Persian poet and philosopher who lived in the 12th century AD. He was a prominent figure in the literary and intellectual circles of his time and was known for his works on Sufism and mysticism.
In the 16th century, there was Irey Mirza, a Persian prince and military leader who served under the Safavid Dynasty. He was known for his bravery and leadership during various military campaigns and was highly respected by his contemporaries.
In the 19th century, Irey Afshar was a prominent Iranian political figure and reformist. He played a significant role in the Constitutional Revolution of Iran and advocated for democratic reforms and modernization.
More recently, Irey Gahramanov was an Azerbaijani writer and poet who lived from 1916 to 1992. He was known for his contributions to Azerbaijani literature and his works exploring themes of love, nature, and national identity.
These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who bore the name Irey, highlighting its rich cultural and historical significance in the Persian and broader Middle Eastern regions.
People
Irey + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Irey 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
Irey: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Irey?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Irey 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 - US residents.
Is Irey a common name?
We classify Irey as "Very Rare". It ranks above 2.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 6 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Irey most popular?
The single biggest year for Irey was 1915, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Irey is about 0 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Irey in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Irey a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Irey 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.
Is Irey still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Irey in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Irey can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How common is the name Irey?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many Americans are named Irey at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.