Imo

♀ Girl

How to Pronounce Imo

Pronounced EYE-moh /ˈaɪ.moʊ/Medium

Meaning: Imo is a pet form of Imogene or Imogen, likely originating as a printer's variant of the Celtic Innogen in Shakespeare and often folk-interpreted through Latin as 'maiden' or 'innocent'. As a stand-alone name Imo carries the same association its parent does.Low

In 30 seconds: Imo is a short form of Imogene or Imogen (said 'EYE-moh'). It was a rare vintage girls' name, a pet form used on its own.

💕 Browse more names

Origin LowEnglish

MeaningImo is a pet form of Imogene or Imogen, likely originating as a printer's variant of the Celtic Innogen in Shakespeare and often folk-interpreted through Latin as 'maiden' or 'innocent'. As a stand-alone name Imo carries the same association its parent does.

U.S. rank (1957)#6454 ↘ Falling

1957 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1922

Total births (all-time)≈ 903

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Imo is the affectionate clip of Imogene, the American-favored spelling of Shakespeare's Imogen, whose origin is usually traced to the Celtic Innogen, 'maiden' or 'girl'. Recorded as a legal first name in the early twentieth century, Imo reflects the era's habit of giving short forms in their own right.

It was always a small choice — a few dozen girls a year at most around its faint nineteen-twenties peak — and reads as a brisk, homespun pet name. It has not revived, though its parent Imogen enjoys renewed literary appeal.

Did you know? Imogen, the name behind Imo, is thought to be a printer's error for Innogen in early editions of Shakespeare's Cymbeline — a slip that accidentally created a lasting name.

Overall data confidence 50%

References — Imo / Imogen — short form of Imogene/Imogen; Innogen 'maiden'; Cymbeline

Variations

ImogeneImogenImmo

Nicknames

Immie

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Imo…

Imogene— the parent name Imo shortens

Cleo— a fellow short, vintage two-syllable girls' name

Ione— shares the airy vowel sound and rarity

Opal— a like brief, old-fashioned girls' name of the era

Explore names like Imo

By themerare vintage short-form

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Imo mean?

Imo is a short form of Imogene or Imogen, a name often interpreted as 'maiden'.

How do you pronounce Imo?

It's said EYE-moh /ˈaɪ.moʊ/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Imo a boy or girl name?

Imo is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Imo?

Imo is rare, a vintage short form of Imogene most seen in the early twentieth century.