NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Iori

A unisex Japanese name meaning "to reap, to harvest".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Iori is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Iori popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2921, with 7 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2019, with 10 births.

This profile covers 110 England and Wales registrations across 19 recorded years from 2003 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

The latest count is about 70% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 109 living people in the UK are called Iori. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Iori ranked #2921 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 7 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2019, when 10 boys were registered as Iori.
  • About 109 living people in the UK are estimated to have Iori as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#2921

2024

Births in 2024

7

Latest year

Peak year

2019

10 births

Estimated living

109

2026

Meaning

What does Iori mean?

The name Iori has its origins rooted in Japanese culture and language. It is a gender-neutral name that has been in use for centuries, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the 8th century CE.

The name Iori is comprised of two kanji characters – "io" (意緒), which means "thought" or "idea", and "ri" (理), which translates to "reason" or "logic". Together, the name can be interpreted to mean "a thoughtful and logical person" or "one with profound ideas and a rational mind".

In ancient Japanese texts, the name Iori was often associated with scholars, philosophers, and intellectuals. One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name can be found in the "Nihon Shoki" (Chronicles of Japan), a historical text compiled in the 8th century CE, where it refers to a scholar and advisor to the imperial court.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Iori. One of the most famous was Iori Motoki (1860-1923), a Japanese politician and diplomat who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs during the Meiji era. Another prominent figure was Iori Tomisaburo (1866-1957), a renowned Japanese artist and painter known for his depictions of traditional Japanese landscapes and scenery.

In the realm of literature, Iori Futaba (1887-1938) was a celebrated Japanese novelist and poet, renowned for her works exploring themes of love, loss, and the human condition. Her novel "Hana no Kusari" (Chain of Flowers) is considered a masterpiece of modern Japanese literature.

The name Iori has also been associated with notable figures in the world of Japanese martial arts. Iori Hidetoshi (1912-1996) was a renowned master of Kendo, the Japanese art of swordsmanship, and played a significant role in popularizing the discipline both within Japan and internationally.

Another prominent individual with the name Iori was Iori Yuzuru (1905-1974), a Japanese businessman and industrialist who played a pivotal role in the post-World War II economic recovery of Japan. He was the founder of the Iori Group, a conglomerate spanning various industries, including automotive, electronics, and real estate.

While the name Iori has its roots in Japanese culture, it has also gained popularity in other parts of the world, particularly among those with an appreciation for its unique meaning and historical significance. However, its origins and earliest recorded usage can be traced back to the ancient Japanese civilization, where it was associated with intellectual pursuits, artistic expression, and cultural heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Iori over time

The chart below shows babies named Iori registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2003 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Iori, the clearest high point is 2019. The latest England and Wales figure is 7 births in 2024, compared with 10 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Iori
035810200320132024

Decades

Iori by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Iori was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2020s #2762 37 5
2010s #3152 55 9
2000s #3576 18 5

Related

Names similar to Iori

FAQ

Iori: questions and answers

How popular is the name Iori in the UK right now?

In 2024, Iori was ranked #2921 for boys in England and Wales, with 7 births registered.

When was Iori most popular?

The peak year on record was 2019, with 10 babies registered as Iori in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Iori?

A unisex Japanese name meaning "to reap, to harvest".

How many people are called Iori in the UK?

A total of 110 babies have been registered as Iori across the 19 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.