Where does the name Idris come from?

Idris is a boy name of Arabic origin. Got a major US visibility boost from actor Idris Elba.

Is Idris a boy or a girl name?

Idris is overwhelmingly a boy name in the United States. Of the 4,292 U.S. babies recorded with this name, more than 99% are boys.

How popular is the name Idris in 2023?

Idris ranks #791 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 2022 with 329 babies.

How do you pronounce Idris?

Idris is pronounced ID-ris (2 syllables).

What are common spellings of Idris?

Idris is also written as Idriss, Idrees.

A name from Arabic · Boy

Idris

إِدْرِيس

"Interpreter, studious." A prophet mentioned twice in the Qur'an (19:56, 21:85), described as truthful and elevated to a high station — traditionally identified with the biblical Enoch.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 109-year arc in numbers.

4,292 U.S. births recorded from 1914–2023.

Popularity · 1914–2023

319 births in 2023

1914 1968 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

I"Interpreter, studious." A prophet mentioned twice in the Qur'an (19:56, 21:85), described as truthful and elevated to a high station — traditionally identified with the biblical Enoch.

Etymology, in one line

Arabic root: d-r-s — د-ر-س, to study, learn

Regional variants

Got a major US visibility boost from actor Idris Elba. Strong in Moroccan-American and West African Muslim families.

Variants & spellings

2 ways to spell "Idris".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Idriss Most common Idrees

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Idris.

I
Idris (Qur'anic prophet)
I
Idris Elba (actor)

Quick answers

People often ask about Idris.

What does the name Idris mean?: Idris means "Interpreter, studious." A prophet mentioned twice in the Qur'an (19:56, 21:85), described as truthful and elevated to a high station — traditionally identified with the biblical Enoch.
Where does the name Idris come from?: Idris is a boy name of Arabic origin. Got a major US visibility boost from actor Idris Elba.
Is Idris a boy or a girl name?: Idris is overwhelmingly a boy name in the United States. Of the 4,292 U.S. babies recorded with this name, more than 99% are boys.
How popular is the name Idris in 2023?: Idris ranks #791 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 2022 with 329 babies.
How do you pronounce Idris?: Idris is pronounced ID-ris (2 syllables).
What are common spellings of Idris?: Idris is also written as Idriss, Idrees.

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About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meaning and cultural context drawn from classical sources: Lisan al-Arab, Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Qur'an and Sunnah. If you spot an error, please let us know.