Ianthe
- Gender
- Girl
- Say it
- eye-AN-thee
- Origin
- Greek
Ianthe is a girls' name of Greek origin, meaning “violet flower”. Too few babies were given it in the latest year to rank.
What does Ianthe mean?
Greek: from Greek ion, violet, + anthos, flower
“violet flower”
Shelley's poem Queen Mab features a heroine named Ianthe, and he gave the name to his daughter.
Is Ianthe a girl's or a boy's name?
Ianthe is a girls' name.
How popular is Ianthe in the UK?
No girls in the UK were given it in 2025, or too few to be listed. Its busiest year was 2008, with 8 girls.
Half of all the girls named Ianthe in the UK since 1996 were born between 2006 and 2015. It was already well used in 1996, when the records begin, so earlier girls aren't counted.
Ianthe in the UK, year by year
| Year | Girls | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 1 | #7,487 |
| 2021 | 3 | #5,824 |
| 2020 | 0 | – |
| 2019 | 5 | #4,214 |
| 2018 | 0 | – |
| 2017 | 6 | #3,774 |
| 2016 | 4 | #4,980 |
| 2015 | 4 | #4,951 |
| 2014 | 5 | #4,187 |
| 2013 | 6 | #3,719 |
| 2012 | 0 | – |
| 2011 | 0 | – |
| 2010 | 7 | #3,308 |
| 2009 | 7 | #3,201 |
| 2008 | 8 | #2,895 |
| 2007 | 3 | #5,415 |
| 2006 | 4 | #4,357 |
| 2005 | 3 | #4,976 |
| 2004 | 0 | – |
| 2003 | 0 | – |
| 2002 | 3 | #4,284 |
| 2001 | 0 | – |
| 2000 | 0 | – |
| 1999 | 0 | – |
| 1998 | 4 | #3,310 |
| 1997 | 3 | #3,991 |
| 1996 | 4 | #3,289 |
Names like Ianthe
Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.
Isabelle Phoebe Annabelle Sophie Grace Evangeline Beatrice Sophia Catherine Jasmine Chloe Imogen
Names related to Ianthe
More Greek names
Luca Theodore George Theo Lucas Sofia Alexander Sebastian Penelope Margot Luke Zoe Iris Maisie Lainey Elena
Sources
Figures from Baby names in England and Wales (Office for National Statistics), Babies' first names (National Records of Scotland) and Baby names (Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency). Nameling last updated them on 20 October 2026. How the figures are worked out, and the data to download.
To cite this page: Nameling, “Ianthe: name meaning, origin and popularity”, https://www.nameling.co.uk/names/ianthe, updated 20 October 2026.