Sibling names for Irene
Names that sound like they belong in the same family as Irene usually share its era. These sister and brother names rose and fell on a similar curve to Irene, whose busiest decade was the 1920s, and are about as common, so neither child's name will feel dated or unusual next to the other.
Sister names for Irene
| Name | Meaning | Rank 2025 | Babies, last 5 years | Peak decade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eunice | "good victory" | #2,362 | 466 | 1920s |
| Marian | from Marion (Mary), or Mary + Ann | #1,103 | 1,023 | 1920s |
| Ruth | #173 | 8,419 | 1920s | |
| Beatrice | she who makes happy | #508 | 2,705 | 1920s |
| Pauline | feminine of Paul, 'small' | #2,986 | 271 | 1920s |
| Hilda | "battle" | #3,007 | 271 | 1920s |
| Frances | Frenchwoman (feminine of Francis) | #318 | 4,105 | 1920s |
Brother names for Irene
| Name | Meaning | Rank 2025 | Babies, last 5 years | Peak decade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virgil | #1,417 | 548 | 1920s | |
| Lester | from Leicester (place name) | #1,641 | 501 | 1920s |
| Cecil | from Caecilius (perhaps 'blind'); Welsh Seisyllt | #1,486 | 586 | 1920s |
| Francis | Frenchman, Frank | #420 | 3,442 | 1920s |
| Maurice | Moorish, dark-skinned | #1,020 | 1,205 | 1920s |
| Milton | mill town or middle town | #1,440 | 670 | 1920s |
| Lloyd | gray, gray-haired | #1,549 | 506 | 1920s |
| Howard | #1,004 | 1,101 | 1920s | |
| Ralph | wolf counsel | #1,048 | 933 | 1920s |
Irene's era
Irene ranked #651 for girls in 2025, against #629 in 2015. Its best year was 1918, at #16. Names that rose and fell with it share its period feel, which keeps the set consistent.
Timeless names that go with any sibling
These names have been used steadily for a hundred years, so they sit comfortably next to a name from any era, Irene included.
Girls: Elizabeth, Maria, Lydia, Cecilia, Julia, Miriam. Boys: Samuel, Anthony, Wesley, Vincent, Calvin, Victor.
Same era, but close to Irene
These names follow Irene's curve too, but we left them out above because they share a first letter or an ending with Irene. Some parents like that echo; if you do, start here.
How these were chosen
Each suggestion's share of US babies has followed a curve close to Irene's since 1880, and its recent number of babies is within about twelve times Irene's, so the names are in the same league. Names starting with the same letter as Irene or with the same ending are left out, so the names go together without matching. Spellings of Irene itself are excluded.