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At a Glance: Name: Imogen – Meaning: maiden, girl (from Scottish Gaelic 'inghean') – Origin: Celtic (Scottish Gaelic), via a Shakespearean misprint – Gender: primarily used for girls – Pronunciation: IM-uh-jen
Imogen is a Celtic name from the Scottish Gaelic 'inghean,' meaning 'maiden' or 'girl.' You may see it said to mean 'innocent' or 'beloved child,' but that's a false etymology based on how the name sounds. The name itself came from a printing error, when 'Innogen' was misprinted in early Shakespeare editions.
Meaning & Origin of Imogen
Meaning: Maiden, girl (from Scottish Gaelic 'inghean').
Origin: Celtic (Scottish Gaelic), via a Shakespearean misprint.
A common claim: Imogen is popularly said to mean 'innocent' or 'beloved child'. Actually: This is a false etymology based on phonetic resemblance — Imogen actually derives from Scottish Gaelic 'inghean' (maiden/girl), and the name itself arose from a printing error of 'Innogen' in early Shakespeare editions.
Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.
How to Pronounce Imogen
Phonetic: IM-uh-jen IPA: /ˈɪmədʒən/
Popularity of Imogen
In 2024, Imogen ranked #1126 in the U.S., with 214 babies given the name. That's also the highest it has ranked in any year from 1915 through 2024.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1915–2024.
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Free printable nursery art for Imogen, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Imogen mean?
Maiden, girl (from Scottish Gaelic ‘inghean’). (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Imogen)
How do you pronounce Imogen?
Imogen is pronounced IM-uh-jen (IPA: /ˈɪmədʒən/).
Is Imogen a popular name right now?
Imogen is at its highest recorded popularity right now, ranked #1126 in 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1915–2024.)
📊 How popular is Imogen? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
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