Iris — Name Meaning, Origin & Popularity

Iris is a girls' name of Greek origin, meaning "rainbow; the flower". Goddess of the rainbow, painter's favorite flower, and the eye's colored part — three meanings, one crisp name.

Style & feel. With nature and vintage on its style card, Iris sits comfortably in the modern naming landscape — familiar enough that nobody misreads it, distinctive enough that your child won't share it with three classmates. At 2 syllables, it flows across most middle-name combinations and survives every life stage from playground to résumé.

Pairing ideas. Iris pairs naturally with one- and two-syllable middles (Ivy, Violet share its sound-world). If you like Iris, you'll probably also love Ivy, Violet, Flora — same era, same energy, same bone structure.