Baby Name to Discuss: Imogen

What do you think of using the name Imogen for a baby girl? Both my husband and I are American and I like that the name has an international flair and isn’t too popular, but I am worried that it is too foreign sounding. I am also worried that since people aren’t very familiar with the name, that she would spend her life telling people how to spell and pronounce her name. We already have a daughter with a Celtic name, and thought it would sound nice together, but our daughter’s name is more familiar to Americans (currently in the top 200 names in the US). Thanks!

 

I like it and it was on my list. But I too was concerned about unfamiliarity: it’s not even in the U.S. Top 1000. In 2017, the name Imogen was given to 169 new U.S. baby girls. For comparison, the #1000 most popular name (Alora) was given to 257 new U.S. baby girls. Imogen is approximately as popular as the names Geneva, Navy, Noah (for a girl), Belinda, Winifred, Rosalina, and Indigo.

Let’s see what it’s been doing usage-wise.

1980: not in the database, which means 0-4 babies given the name that year
1985: not in the database
1990: not in the database
1995: 8
2000: 18
2005: 38
2010: 101
2015: 141

I find that encouraging.

I do think you and she would spend some time spelling it and pronouncing it, and there will be a few people who haven’t heard of the name before. It kind of depends on how much you think that would bother you: everyone has a different level of tolerance for Name Fuss. It’s getting close to my own tolerance levels, and I would be delighted to encounter it on someone else’s child.

46 thoughts on “Baby Name to Discuss: Imogen

  1. Alli B

    Imogen is great! It’s familiar to me because of Imogen Heap. The longer I think about baby naming (being foster parents, we see a lot of names), the more I wish I was more bold in my early naming years.

    Reply
  2. Jean C.

    I think there will be some pronunciation issues that you’ll run into when people first read or hear the name, but it’s hard for me to imagine people continuing to struggle with it after it’s been clarified since it’s sound isn’t foreign even if the name is unfamiliar or unknown. I think Imogen is such a cool and unique name.

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  3. Bff

    I’ve always pronounced it in my head with a long I, emphasis first syllable EYE-mo-gen. Is that correct?

    It’s like Hermione. I was saying that name in my head wrong forever until she spelled it out in one of the books.

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  4. Marilyn

    I adore it. I don’t think I’ve met an Imogen in person before, but I’ve certainly seen it plenty. I wonder whether usage was higher 100 years ago; it feel a little like resurgent names like Eleanor to me.

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  5. Shannon

    I think Belinda and Winifred are apt comparisons—people undoubtedly have familiarity with those names, they just aren’t using them right now. Most of my contemporaries know Imogen from Shakespeare etc, but the appeal hasn’t picked up just yet. (I first heard the name on a Ghanaian immigrant in my first-grade class, and thought until later that it was a misspelling of Imogene, but have since encountered it lots.) this is similar to Belinda’s being familiar, but “out” right now.

    That said, I believe it’s on its way into more popular usage! I have friends who are planning to use this on a daughter within the next couple years, and others who have reacted positively to that fact. I also think it shares enough in common with Adalyn, Emmeline, etc, that people branching out from those names will eventually find their way to it. Definitely not too weird to use anywhere—though maybe a local outlier?

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  6. Laura

    I like it! Though it’s one of those names that I’m worried I’m pronouncing wrong, because I’ve only seen it written and never heard it spoken.

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  7. British American

    I’m British in the USA, so I am familiar with the name. One of my British high school friends used the name for her daughter. They live in the UK and use the nickname Imi.

    I guess people may pronounce the name as EYE-mo-jen or Ih-MO-jen, which kind of sounds like a medication. But a lot of names these days require you to spell or pronounce them, so I think you could go for it. As long as you don’t mind having to correct people who are not familiar with the name.

    Reply
  8. Britni

    I like the name Imogen!
    I think a lot of millennial are familiar with the name thanks to Julia Stiles I’m Down to You??
    I would expect the grandparent generation to need some coaching on how to pronounce it, but totally worth it in my opinion!

    Reply
  9. Celeste

    I’ve only known the name as Imogene, from an older comic actress named Imogene Coca. I like it and like that it leaves room for a nickname Genie. I like Eugenia/Eugenia a lot, too. I think of the I names as exotic, somehow.

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  10. Kelli

    I didn’t realize it was a different name from Imogene and in my head I pronounce them all image-jean. Had not heard the “jen” at the end before. So I wouldn’t know at ALL how to say it- imma-gen, imma-jean, eye ma jen, eye ma jean… but once you told me I’d be fine. And I think it’s a cute name! I’ve just never heard it said out loud here in the American South. :)

    Reply
      1. Holly

        Yes me too! I have never heard the name Imogen said aloud, but I know an Imogene and assumed it was a different spelling. Imogen- Sounds kind of like imagine right? I like Imogene better… :)

        Reply
  11. cece

    Disclaimer: I’m English and it’s much more common here – but it didn’t even occur to me there was more than one way to pronounce Imogen until reading the comments – although now I can see some potential for confusion.

    But if it’s becoming more popular in the US anyway it won’t take long to get to a basic level of familiarity I would suspect – it’s not an intrinsically illogical name to pronounce, Imm-o-jen is probably the most obvious way someone would tackle it if they’d never seen it before.

    Reply
    1. Shannon

      Is this incorrect/an uncommon way to pronounce it? That’s how my first-grade classmate pronounced it, but she was from Ghana.

      Reply
  12. Miz Middling

    I love it! Like Alli, I’m a foster parent— so I don’t get to pick the names. But I do LOVE the name Imogen, and it would be on my short list for sure (along with Cecily and Beatrix).

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  13. Jenny

    I’m surprised that Imogen is ranked so low. I admit that I haven’t met a kid named that yet, but it seems like I should have. I like the name and hope people use it.

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  14. Kate

    I’m Irish, and I like the name. It was on my list of potential names for my daughter until my (American) husband, who had never heard it before, VEHEMENTLY vetoed it. He said it sounded like the brand name of a drug to him, and now I think about that every time I hear it.

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  15. LB

    Imogen has been on our list every time after naming 3 baby girls. We never pulled the trigger bc we had the same concerns as you. I do love the name so much though! And I agree with the other comments that there are lots of younger people who will be familiar, thanks to Imogen Heap and the movie Down to You. It’s going to be the grandparents’ generation that will need clarification most likely :)

    Reply
  16. Joanne

    I like it – I know an Imogen, I mean the daughter Of a friend is Imogen and it just doesn’t come up too much. I mean, she said what her daughter’s name was, she pronounces it, I have never had to write it down so I have never asked how to spell it. I am a teacher and I know how to spell my students’ names but sometimes I don’t know how to pronounce them so I ask the child. I just – I think it’s really nice and if you like it use it. I wouldn’t get hung up on spelling or pronunciation because people can misspell ANYTHING.

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  17. Kim

    I know a teenaged Imogen. It’s fine. It’s an unfamiliar but not “out there” name. I say go for it!

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  18. JMV

    My name is a common ‘80s name. My maternal grandma would often call me nicknames that were in no way connected to my name — Lulu Beth, Eliza Jane, Imogen Coco. I love the name vector reminds me of those nicknames.

    I put this in the category of names I’d love to see get more popular – Imogen, Jemima, Magdalena. I love it. Go for it!

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  19. Dances with diapers

    I love Imogen. I do think it will continue to increase in popularity so as long as you’re comfortable with occasionally correcting people her first few years of life on spelling and pronunciation, I would bet by time she’s a teen it’ll be more well known and she won’t often have to.

    Reply
  20. Phancymama

    I love Imogen and find it quite familiar to my American ear. (Lived in SE, NW, SW USA). I also can see it rising in popularity over the next 20 years. I suppose there is the risk of having an 18 year old who shares her name with a ton of 3 year olds, but that’s tough to predict.
    I do think the ending will inevitably end up being pronounced as both -jen and -Jean, and I don’t think a particular spelling will fix that. Similar to how Emmalynn and Emmaline always get pronounced both ways. Or Anderson slips into Andersen. That sort of thing doesn’t bother me and is easily corrected generally, but if it bothers you I’m afraid it will be tough to prevent.
    It is a great name!

    Reply
  21. TheFirstA

    I like it! You will probably need to offer some clarification, but it seems like an easy thing to correct. My guess is most people will get it fairly quickly. It also has some intuitive nicknames like Emme/Jen or even Jenny for times when she wants a stealth name that won’t require explanation.

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  22. Elisabeth

    It’s not my cup of tea, but I’ve certainly read it before. As for spelling/pronunciation confusion, well, this happens pretty regularly with my English surname. It’s the same as the guy who wrote those “chicken soup for the soul” books, so you’d think people could easily hear and spell it.

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  23. Sophie

    I’m surprised it’s so low. My college friend named her daughter Imogen and calls her “immie” for short. It’s cute. Go for it

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  24. Karen

    I absolutely love the name Imogen!

    I live in Australia and it’s a well known name here. I wouldn’t say its a terribly common name, but everyone would definitely know how to pronounce it and I personally know a number of children called Imogen ;). Common nickname is Immy.

    Reply
  25. onomastodon

    I’m also Australian, and it would never have occurred to me that Imogen might be unfamiliar to an Engilsh-speaker.
    I don’t have any particular advice – I looked up the popularity stats, but only Aus, NZ, England, Wales & Scotland seem to have it ranked.
    I just wanted to add my surprise that it’s unusual in the US! It’s a solid name, and the pronunciation’s not that hard – the spelling gives plenty of clues.
    Good luck!

    Reply
  26. Becky

    I like it! It’s pretty and unusual in the U.S. in a way that doesn’t feel like it’s trying too hard to be unique. Just a bit of an undiscovered gem.

    I do think it’s likely unfamiliar to a lot of U.S. folk, at least if they don’t know Imogen Heap (I read plenty of Shakespeare in high school, but we didn’t delve deep enough into the canon to get to Cymbeline). But I don’t think that should stop you from using it. It’s not a hard name to figure out, and I don’t know of any legitimate alternate pronunciations. I definitely had a phase of my life where I didn’t realize there was a distinction between Imogene and Imogen, and would have pronounced them both with a -jeen ending, but it’s an easy correction. Considering all the time in my life I’ve spent trying to remember how a particular Elena, Alena, Alana, or Alannah pronounces her name, Imogen is a breeze!

    Sure, you’ll have to spell it fairly frequently, but I have to spell Rebecca surprisingly often, so I’m pretty sure that’s just people being hopeless spellers and not something that should turn you away from a beautiful name.

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  27. sbc

    I like it and thought of using it for a middle name–I think it’s possible that it’s more common than the SSA lists would indicate because those only track first names and not middles. Agreed that Imogen Heap is a reason people are familiar with the name, and that pronunciation could be challenging.

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  28. Suzanne

    Imogen was on my list for my daughter’s name! I have never encountered it in the wild before, but I have fond memories of a similarly-named book character (Imogene Herdman) from The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. I have to say I’m not 100% certain of the pronunciation (I suspect “ih-muh-jen”) which eventually moved it off the list for me. But I LOVE the way it looks and I love how unique it is.

    (Sorry if this is a duplicate comment! I am having trouble posting!)

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  29. Erin

    I love the name Imogen, but I’m afraid it will be pronounced Imo-jean (at least here in the South). I actually have an aunt who is Imogene, but my family pronounces it Eye-ma-jean.

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  30. Jess

    I love the name Imogen. My son is named Callum, which has a similar issue (though it is the top 1,000–it’s currently number 611 but only hit the top 1,000 10 years ago, and it still feels like nobody we meet here has ever heard of it) in that it’s much more common in England, Australia, etc. than it is in the US. We do get some pronunciation and spelling issues, but we just correct them and move on. Callum is now seven and quite used to correcting people about how to pronounce his name, and does so confidently. It’s really been a non-issue and I’m super glad we used the name. I’m all for Imogen!

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  31. Erin Beth

    I think this name is very usable in the U.S. Yes, it’s a bit unfamiliar but the sound is on trend and there is nothing counter-intuitive about the pronunciation. It’s an underused classic. I say you should go for it!

    Reply
  32. Lashley

    I know a toddler Imogen (we live in a city in the Mountain West), who is nicknamed Midge, which is probably the cutest thing ever.

    I think Imogene (EYE-muh-jean) is more well known in certain communities, especially in the American South, so if you think you would be annoyed at people misunderstanding it as such (“Ugh, we’d never name her THAT!”), then that’s worth considering.

    Reply
    1. Kim

      Midge is so cute! I myself think I’d probably riff of the ‘Mo part rather than Immie, but Midge is fantastic.

      Reply
  33. Maree

    Not from U.S so I can’t help with local knowledge but just saying I know sisters Imogen and Miranda which I find a beautiful combo. Very Shakespeare but modern at the same time.

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  34. Paige

    My friend’s 8 year old Imogen reports that it is a great name and she loves it, but that she has to tell everyone lots of times how to say and some people just can’t say it right. But she says it’s worth it.

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  35. beep

    I have a friend with toddler twins, one of whom is Imogen. To me it is a beautiful and classic name, familiar but fun to encounter since it is is uncommon. I love it.

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  36. Slim

    I’d have thought “IH mo jen” because of there’s no e at the end

    Despite the difference in pronunciation, I have had this song in head ever since I saw Swistle’s tweet (love the song, love the name):

    Reply
  37. Ira Sass

    I’m familiar with the name because of Imogen Heap. I like it and I think it’s usable.

    I also remember a movie from my childhood (maybe a Christmas movie?) with a character named Imogene, which I like less.

    Reply

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