Given name & surname
Iman
“having great faith”
Iman is used as a given name and a surname. One Arabic interpretation is “having great faith.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Arabic interpretation is “having great faith.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Arabic.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1972. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Iman through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 6,609
- 1,485 boys · 5,124 girls
- Most popular year
- 1996
- 209 babies
- 2025
- 180
- #2,072 for girls · #1,798 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +12%
- Rising
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 40% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 91 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 2,072 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 10.0% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 178 in 1996. It also appeared in 89 birth records for boys in 2025. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (13). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 7,791 as a first name in 2020; 1,443 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Iman’s family of names
In French usage, Iman has a related form in Imani. Iman has a related form in Imani. Iman has a related form in Immanuel.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 17
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
See also 3
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Iman
- ImanSomali model and actressborn 1955
- Iman VellaniCanadian-Pakistani actressborn 2002
- Iman ShumpertAmerican basketball player (born 1990)
- Princess Iman bint AbdullahJordanian royal (1996)
- Iman AliPakistani actressborn 1980
- Iman MeskiniNorwegian actressborn 1997
- Princess Iman bint HusseinJordanian royal (1983)
- Iman MersalEgyptian poetborn 1966
- Iman MobaliIranian footballerborn 1982
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Iman, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Elham
“inspiration”
44% boys · 56% girls
Amani
“one who is peaceful” · “one with wishes and dreams”
18% boys · 82% girls
Aiman
45% boys · 55% girls
Jaylin
“one who is calm; a healer” · “one who heals others; one who is tranquil”
38% boys · 62% girls
Kadence
“rhythmic and melodious; a musical woman”
27% boys · 73% girls
Kamryn
“crooked nose” · “having a crooked nose”
26% boys · 74% girls
Amaree
“having great strength; a builder” · “one who will be forever beautiful”
52% boys · 48% girls
Crimson
“as rich and deep as the color”
40% boys · 60% girls