The baby name Imogen was whispered down the alley, a name transformed by history and Shakespeare, too.
Thanks to Natalie for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day.
WHAT DOES THE NAME IMOGEN MEAN?
The name likely comes from the Gaelic word inghean – maiden. Though the Scots Gaelic inghean translates as daughter now. Similar, but not exactly the same.
As a given name, it was initially spelled Innogen, with a double N, rather than an M.
Legend tells of King Cunobelinus, a ruler of pre-Roman Britain, and his daughter, Innogen. She wants to marry for love, but it’s necessary that she marry to secure the kingdom. Heartache follows. Plenty of skullduggery, too, but ultimately all ends well.
There’s a second Innogen in Geoffrey of Monmouth’s pseudo-history, written around the year 1136. In Historia Regum Britanniae, Geoffrey told of Innogen, the Greek wife of Brutus of Troy. They left their country to settle in Britain and found a new empire. Innogen and Brutus welcomed three sons: Locrinus, who would rule England; Camber, future ruler of Wales; and Albanactus, who was given Scotland.
How a Greek princess ended up with the Celtic name Innogen goes unexplained.
INNOGEN TRANSFORMED
William Shakespeare borrowed the figures from the story of King Cunobelinus for his play, Cymbeline. First performed around 1611, it’s among the more obscure of Shakespeare’s plays. But it’s the name of the heroine of Shakespeare’s re-telling that matters.
We know that Shakespeare gave the name Innogen to another character in a draft of Much Ado About Nothing.
It’s likely that the Cymbeline character was also Innogen, originally. Most copies of the play would’ve been handwritten. Published seven years after his death, the folio edition of the play used the spelling Imogen.
Was it the result of a printing error? Possibly. Though the difference is slight.
In any case, the character is admirable.
She remains loyal to her estranged love, even when she suffers mightily. While Cymbeline is not among the most favored or widely-performed plays today, Shakespearean baby names continue to appeal to parents.
Just ask Jessica, Olivia, and Juliet.
It’s no surprise that the baby name Imogen survived.
AMERICAN VERSUS BRITISH
Between British history and the name’s literary roots, parents have plenty of ways to discover this name.
In the UK, the baby name Imogen routinely ranks in the Top 100, and has since the 1990s.
Famous bearers include:
- Influential musician Imogen Heap
- Actress Imogen Poots
- Imogen Morenois a character fromDegrassi: The Next Generation
Both real-life famous figures are British. The fictional character? Canadian. Australia also serves up many women named Imogen.
One notable example of use in the US? Early twentieth century American photographer Imogen Cunningham, a contemporary and colleague of Ansel Adams.
HOW ABOUT IMOGENE?
Instead of Imogen, American parents have favored Imogene.
It’s a tiny spelling change, but it shifts the pronunciation, from -jen to -jean.
The given name Imogene peaked in the 1920s, reaching the Top 200 for a handful of years. It appeared in the US Top 1000 nearly every year from 1880 to 1955.
One possible reason for the name’s success? An opera. Vincenzo Bellini’s Il piratagave the name Imogene to the wife of a nobleman. A ship sinks off the coast, and Imogene helps the survivors. Drama follows.
The opera was a hit.
So while the timing is tough to trace, it makes sense that Imogene would’ve been familiar, and possibly trending, in the United States when baby name data was first compiled in the year 1880.
Incidentally, the opera borrowed the character name Imogene from an earlier play. The name was spelled Imogine.
The lost list of -jeans includes:
- A character in John Galsworthy’s The Forsyte Saga.
- The bossy big sister who plays Mary in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever,Imogene Herdman.
- Fannie Flagg nicknamed her Imogene “Idgie” in Fried Green Tomatoes.
- The late Imogene Coca’s comedy career spanned many years. You might know her as Aunt Edna in the original 1983 National Lampoon’s Vacation.
- Midge’s BFF on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
HOW POPULAR IS THE NAME IMOGEN?
But there’s been at least some interest in Imogen among American parents.
In the year 2000, Julia Stiles starred as Imogen in the romantic comedy Down to You. Her character was an artist. While the movie flopped, the character names are fascinating: women named Imogen, Cyrus, and Lana. Men answered to Al, short for Alfred, plus Monk.
That same year, just 18 girls received the name.
While the movie can’t really claim credit, Imogen steadily climbed in use among baby girl names in the coming years.
By 2010, 101 girls were named Imogen. As of 2023, that number reached 195 – an all-time high in the US.
OFFBEAT TRADITIONAL
Maybe it’s Imogen’s nickname-rich quality that appeals. It shortens to Imo, Immy, Gen, Ginny, Gigi, and Moe to name just a few.
But I doubt it’s the flexibility that appeals.
Instead, like Poppy, Mabel, and Florence, it’s one of those British names that reads offbeat and traditional(ish). The baby name Imogen is vaguely British, steeped in history and literature, and feels like an appealing, undiscovered choice – at least in the US.
That’s a winning combination.
What do you think of the baby name Imogen?
First published on June 28, 2008, this post was revised substantially and re-posted on February 10, 2014; March 6, 2019; and April 16, 2025.
In 2007 I scoured every baby name list to find a unique classic name for my daughter. My ex and I fought over Imogene vs Imogen. He’s British and argued that the extra e is extraneous. I thought that the extra e is extra special and Imogene is an American, not the name of some uptight rich English prep school girl.
I also loved that gene is in Imogene. Rather than dorky or stuffy, I see gene as futuristic, artistic and intelligent. Because the name Imogene is old-fashioned, peaking in the 1920s, I believe a lot of people associate Imogene as old-lady like. I, however, associated almost every popular modern name in 2007, such as Savannah, Madison, Kayla with “pornography artists” lol.
Imogene is 8 now and has discovered that her name is not preprinted on any mug or keychain. I suppose she’ll get her wish in a few years as Imogen has achieved popularity. She’ll need to keep a sharpie handy for that extra e. She’s rocking Brooklyn, NY with her “old lady name”
I think this name might make our list, now that I have to come up with a real list of names I’d *really* use for a not-so-hypothetical child. 🙂
My Australian son-in-law suggested Imogen when my daughter was pregnant with their second child 7 years ago. (I had seen the name on lists of top names in the UK, but my only US reference for it was comic actress Imogene Coca.) My daughter didn’t like the name at all, and they named their daughter, coincidentally, another Shakespearean name, Miranda “Mira”. It suits her perfectly. Since that time I’ve been seeing Imogen on baby name blogs, but have yet to meet one. I find the name interesting and delightfully British, but I think it will be awhile, at least, before Imogen becomes known in the U. S.
Well obviously I love the name Imogen. While still an uncommon name where we live in the US, there is one other girl in her daycare with the same name. I actually hope it does become a bit more popular, so that people will stop pronouncing it Imogene, which I really don’t think is as pretty, and to me is a different name. Yes, same origins, but it is spelled and pronounced differently- so not the same IMO.
Love Imogen, can’s stand Imogene (don’t like Eugene either!).
Would love to see twin girls named Imogen and Isla!
I used to love this name, until a high school bully totally ruined it for me 🙁 However, I was combing the family tree one day and came across Imogene. I’m wondering if it’s different enough for me to put it back on my list, and I think it is.
Also – I think Imogen must be a lot more popular here in Australia! I can think of three that I know off the top of my head.
My daughter is called Imogen and it’s not at all unusual here in Australia, or in my husband’s native UK, but my family in the states thought it was the strangest name… I didn’t realise just how disparate the rankings were until I looked & didn’t see her in the top 1000 at all! I was surprised that a name that is top twenty in Britain and Aus would be completely unheard of in America.
I love the name Imogen – neat, trim, lots of consonants. There’s a girl at my daughter’s school called Imogen. She would have been born in 2001. I think her parents may be English, which might explain the choice. It was the first time I’d heard the name and I’ve liked it ever since.
I want to like Imogen, but my lazy tongue pronounces it pretty much like imagine, so it doesn’t sound quite right when I say it. Would love to hear it used more often though!
I’m so glad you wrote about this name! It’s on my short(ish) list of girl names in the event that our next baby is a girl, and I’m curious as to what your thoughts are re: the following rationale:
My grandmother’s name is Irma Jean. It’s a terrible, awful name that – unlike so many other old-timey names – is probably never going to come back into style. Grandma typically goes by the full Irma Jean – emphasis on the first syllable. It sounds an awful lot like Imogen when pronounced, which got me thinking that perhaps we could use Imogen to honor her, rather than Irma Jean. Thoughts? Is it too much of a departure from her actual name?
I think it’s a great idea!