Irene
Meaning of Irene
Under a Mediterranean sun, the name Irene unfurls like an olive branch dipped in gold, its sap rising from the ancient Greek word eirene—peace—once personified by a gentle goddess who cradled the prosperity of the polis in her arms; carried across centuries by candle-lit processions of early Christian saints, by a Byzantine empress who stitched stability into an empire, and by storytellers from Sherlock Holmes to modern cinema, it now travels lightly between cultures, lilting as ee-REH-neh along Italian piazzas and ringing as eye-REEN in English-speaking skies. She is a vintage melody that peaked on American lullaby lists in the roaring twenties, slipped into quietude like dusk over the Arno, and is softly rising again, chosen by parents who long for a name that whispers harmony while wearing the timeless grace of marble colonnades. With a hint of laughter in her vowels and the promise of calm in her meaning, Irene beckons like an open window on a warm Florentine evening—inviting, enduring, and forever touched by the hush of peace.
Pronunciation
Spanish,Italian
- Pronunced as ee-REH-neh (/i:ˈre.ne/)
British English
- Pronunced as eye-REEN (/aɪˈri:n/)
American English
- Pronunced as eye-REEN (/aɪˈriːn/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
States Popularity Chart
Notable People Named Irene
| Irene Dunne was an American actress from the Golden Age of Hollywood, celebrated for her comedic roles while also shining in other genres. |
| Irene of Athens became the first sole female ruler of the Byzantine Empire and played a key role in ending the iconoclast controversy by convening the Second Council of Nicaea. |
| Irene Cara was an American singer and actress famous for her role in "Fame" and co-writing the Oscar-winning song "Flashdance... What a Feeling." |
| Irene Zubaida Khan is a Bangladeshi British human rights lawyer serving as the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Opinion. |
| Irene Pepperberg is an American scientist renowned for her pioneering research on animal cognition, particularly in teaching language to parrots. |
| Irene Worth was an American actress who became a leading star in both British and American theatre. |
| Irene Ryan was an American actress best known for playing Granny Moses on The Beverly Hillbillies and receiving Emmy nominations. |
| Irene Gut Opdyke was a Polish nurse who saved 12 Jews during World War II and was honored as a Righteous Among the Nations. |
| After losing both legs in an ETA attack at age 12, Spanish author and journalist Irene Villa became a political activist opposing peace talks with the group and is now a para-alpine skier. |
| Irene González Basanta was a Spanish goalkeeper who founded Irene Fútbol Club and is recognized as the first woman in Spain and a global pioneer in professional football. |
| Irene Martínez Tartabull was a trailblazing Cuban athlete who became the first woman from the Central American and Caribbean region to clear six meters in the long jump and the first Cuban to win a jumps gold medal at the Pan American Games. |
| Irene Kharisma Sukandar is an Indonesian chess champion, two-time Asian women's titleholder, and the first Indonesian woman to achieve both WGM and IM titles. |
| Irene Frances Rich was an American actress who performed in silent films, talkies, and radio. |
| Irene Aloha Wright was an American journalist and historian known for her books on Caribbean colonial history and her life in Mexico, Cuba, and Spain. |
