Irene
Girl name · #651 in 2025 · Rare
Irene is currently the #651 girl name in the United States — 442 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #629, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 4,072 girls born in 2025 was named Irene.
Babies named Irene per year. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Irene first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 204 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1921, when 10,624 girls were named Irene — good for #18 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Irene against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Irene in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Irene is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Irene will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Irene is most common
Geography matters for names, and Irene is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Irene is most common in MN (0.6 per 1,000), CA (0.5 per 1,000), WI (0.5 per 1,000), WA (0.5 per 1,000), PA (0.4 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.3 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Irene is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Irene
Statistically, parents drawn to Irene tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Marie, Arlene, Marlene, Rosa, and Maxine.
MarieArleneMarleneRosaMaxineLouiseHelenInez
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Irene | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 442 | #651 |
| 2024 | 465 | #635 |
| 2023 | 435 | #675 |
| 2022 | 448 | #661 |
| 2021 | 438 | #674 |
| 2020 | 472 | #618 |
| 2019 | 469 | #633 |
| 2018 | 466 | #639 |
| 2017 | 508 | #588 |
| 2016 | 444 | #658 |
| 2015 | 453 | #629 |
| 2014 | 432 | #663 |
| 2013 | 439 | #643 |
| 2012 | 437 | #651 |
| 2011 | 406 | #692 |
| 2010 | 411 | #695 |
| 2009 | 484 | #624 |
| 2008 | 483 | #638 |
| 2007 | 468 | #635 |
| 2006 | 496 | #588 |
| 2005 | 491 | #580 |
| 2004 | 531 | #536 |
| 2003 | 475 | #581 |
| 2002 | 546 | #504 |
| 2001 | 573 | #487 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Irene a popular girl name?
Irene ranked #651 among girls in 2025 with 442 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #629.
When was the name Irene most popular?
Irene peaked in 1921, when 10,624 American girls received the name (ranked #18 that year). Since 1921 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Irene?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 4,072 newborn American girls was named Irene. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.