Imogen Name Meaning & Origin
Imogen
Origin of the name Imogen:
Of uncertain origin and meaning, Imogen was first recorded as the name of the heroine in Shakespeare's play Cymbeline. The name is thought to be a misprint of Raphael Holinshed's Innogen, a Celtic name supposedly derived from the Gaelic inghean (girl, maiden).
From A World of Baby Names by Teresa Norman.
Related Names:
Imogene, Innogen
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US Popularity of Imogen Over Time

Sister & Brother Names
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Name Lists Featuring Imogen
- Australian Girls Names: Most Popular Names for Girls in Australia (New South Wales) 2014
- Australian Girls Names: Most Popular Names for Girls in Australia (Victoria) 2014
- New Zealand Girls Names: Most Popular Names for Girls in New Zealand 2014
- English and Welsh Girls Names: Most Popular Names for Girls in England and Wales (2013)
- Australian Girls Names: Most Popular Names for Girls in Australia (Victoria), 2010
- New Zealand Girls Names: Most Popular Names for Girls in New Zealand, 2010
- English Girls Names: Most Popular Names for Girls in England, 2010
- Scottish Girls Names: Most Popular Names for Girls in Scotland, 2011
- English and Welsh Girls Names: Most Popular Names for Girls in England and Wales
- English Girls Names: Most Popular Names for Girls in England 2015
- Welsh Girls Names: Most Popular Names for Girls in Wales
- Welsh Girls Names: Most Popular Names for Girls in Wales
- Welsh Girls Names: Most Popular Names for Girls in Wales
- Welsh Girls Names: Most Popular Names for Girls in Wales
- Welsh Girls Names: Most Popular Names for Girls in Wales
- Scottish Girls Names: Most Popular Names for Girls in Scotland for 2012
- Australian Girls Names: Most Popular Names for Girls in Australia (New South Wales) for 2012
- Australian Girls Names: Most Popular Names for Girls in Australia (Victoria) for 2012
- Scottish Girls Names: Most Popular Names for Girls in Scotland
- Australian Girls Names: Most Popular Names for Girls in Australia (New South Wales)
- Australian Girls Names: Most Popular Names for Girls in Australia (Victoria)
- New Zealand Girls Names: Most Popular Names for Girls in New Zealand
- Australian Girls Names: Most Popular Names for Girls in Australia (Western)
- Australian Girls Names: Most Popular Names for Girls in Australia (Southern)
- Australian Girls Names: Most Popular Names for Girls in Australia (Queensland)
Contribute your knowledge to the name Imogen
- Comments and insights on the name Imogen
I think it is a nice name for some people and quite a few people say that they like it, but many people find it difficult to spell and often get it wrong. It is nice however to be the only Imogen in most places wherever you go and it's fun to meet another because it is on such a rare occasion that it happens. There are lots of nicknames for it which is nice, but especially when I was younger I found there were certain nicknames I didn't like and it allowed people to mock. Overall I think it is quite a nice name.
I'm naming my daughter this name, I think it's absolutely BEAUTIFUL!
- Personal experiences with the name Imogen
Most people when coming across the name Imogen think it is unusual but like it, it is neither common nor obscure. My daughter likes the fact that she is always the only Imogen, not Chloe P. or Sophie H. in her class. We have met very few other Imogen's along the way.
We named our daughter Imogen. It’s unfamiiar in the States, but we’ve gotten positive feedback from most people. I was concerned it would be hard for people to spell, but since it looks like it sounds, it’s not been too bad. The biggest issue we have is people calling her Imogene, not Imogen. Easy to correct, though. Love our Idgie!
- Nicknames for Imogen
Imi, Imy, Im, Imo, Imio, Io, Immy, Gen, Genny, Ginny, Midge, Mo, Imza, Imsky, Imzi, Mog, Ims, Imsy, Mim, Idgie
- Meanings and history of the name Imogen
This name was probably created by Shakespeare for a character in his play Cymbeline. He probably intended to use the name Innogen, a legendary figure whose name was derived from a Celtic word "inghean" meaning "maiden", but the name was misprinted as "Imogen".
Celtic in origin, Imogen means "Image of her mother", "blameless", "innocent"
- Famous real-life people named Imogen
Imogen Cunningham - American photographer
Imogen Stubbs - English actress
Imogen Parker - English author
Imogen Bailey - Australian model
Imogen Poots - English actress
Imogen Heap - English singer, composer, and songwriter
Imogen Baily- Australian model
Immy Waterhouse- model- Imogen in song, story & screen
Imogen from the Ascendence Trilogy by Jennifer Nielsen
A daughter named Imogen is born to Winifred Forsyte in The Forsyte Saga, a book made into a Masterpiece Theater miniseries.
Julia Styles plays an Imogen in the movie Down to You.
Imogen Moreno from the Canadian TV show "Degrassi".
Imogen Crawford, Alice Watkins' best friend in 'Alice in Time'.
Imogen Willis, a character on Neighbours