Irene
Irene comes from the Greek "eirēnē," meaning peace. In Greek mythology, Eirene was the goddess of peace — one of the three Horae (goddesses of the seasons and natural order). She was typically depicted holding a cornucopia or the infant Plutus (god of wealth). The Roman equivalent was Pax. Saint Irene was a 4th-century martyr, and several Byzantine empresses bore the name. Irene was a top-100 American name from 1905 to 1945, peaking at #51 in 1918. The peak was partly driven by the broader trend toward classical names and partly by Irene Dunne (1898-1990), the actress known for "The Awful Truth" (1937) and "I Remember Mama" (1948). Then the name declined steeply — it has been outside the US top 500 since 1985. I find Irene has an elegant, slightly old-world quality — the "I" opening is unusual, the "r" gives it weight, and the "ee" ending gives it brightness. The name literally means "peace," which gives it a transparency that more metaphorical names lack. Irene has been climbing again as the vintage cycle deepens. Irene is a female name of Greek origin that means "Peace". Elegant, old-world, and peaceful. The name sounds graceful. Irenes tend to be composed. US peaked #51 in 1918. Outside top 500 since 1985. Well-known people named Irene include Irene (Greek goddess of peace), Irene Dunne (actress), Saint Irene (martyr), Irene (fictional, various). Common variations and related forms of Irene include Irini (Greek), Irena (Slavic), Irina (Russian), Eirene (ancient Greek).