Origin: Indonesian
Meaning: “Beautiful.”
Pronunciation: (IN-dah); (EEN-dah)
Nicknames: Indi
Gender: Feminine
Origin: Greek
Meaning: “Rainbow.”
Pronunciation: (AHY-ris)
Nicknames: Iri
Detail: Iris was the ancient Greek goddess of the rainbow, the messenger of the Olympian gods.
Her name contains a double meaning, being connected both with iris, “the rainbow,” and eiris, “messenger.”
Iris can also refer to a genus of ornamental flowering plants, or a part of the eye.
Gender: Feminine
Origin: Native American
Meaning: “Sleepy ones.”
Pronunciation: (AHY-oh-wah)
Nicknames: Io
Detail: The state of Iowa was named for the Native Americans living in that territory at the time, the Iowa. Despite the report of the 1879 General Assembly of Iowa, which proclaimed that this word means “the beautiful land”, it is actually a Dakota Sioux word given to the Iowas in jest meaning “sleepy ones”.
Gender: Feminine
Origin: English
Meaning: “Land of Indians.”
Pronunciation: (in-dee-AN-uh)
Nicknames: Indie, Ana
Detail: This state has one of the most obvious names in the US with the rather ironic meaning, “the land of Indians.” It was given to the Indiana Territory by the United States Congress when Indiana was created from the Northwest Territory in 1800.