Given name & surname · also Scandinavian
Igor
“a hero”·“Ing's soldier”
Igor is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “a hero” and “Ing's soldier”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Original RussianИгорь
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “a hero” and “Ing's soldier”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Where it comes from
This spelling has been associated with Scandinavian and Russian naming traditions.
How it developed
In Slovak usage, Igor developed from Yngvarr.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1951. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Igor through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 804
- 804 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 1998
- 30 babies
- 2025
- 12
- #6,950 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −24%
- Easing
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 12 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 6,950 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 24.1% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 14,180 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Igor’s family of names
In Czech usage, Igor has a diminutive in Igorek. In English usage, Igor shares an earlier linguistic root with IHOR. Igor is a form of Ivor.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Igor has relatives in 23 languages. Lines run from its Russian roots to each of them.
Nicknames & forms 4
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 27
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- ИгорьRussian
- И́горьRussian
- Ivordoublet · English
- Rurikbase name
- Garikequivalent
- IngoGerman
- Ihordoublet · English
- Գարիկequivalent
Show 19 moreShow fewer
See also 4
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Igor
- Igor StravinskyRussian, French, and American composer (1882–1971)
- Igor TammSoviet physicist (1895–1971)
- Igor AkinfeevRussian association football playerborn 1986
- Igor SikorskyAmerican aviation pioneer from Russian Empire (1889–1972)
- Igor KurchatovSoviet nuclear physicist (1903-1960)
- Igor Dodon5th President of Moldova from 2016 until 2020born 1975
- Igor GirkinRussian citizen from Moscow who played a significant role in the War in Donbassborn 1970
- Igor DenisovRussian footballerborn 1984
- Igor TudorCroatian association football player and managerborn 1978
Characters named Igor: Postman Pechkin (fictional character created by Eduard Uspensky).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
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