Imke

Imke is a pet form of the name Irma, which has its origins in Low German and Frisian. The Low German variant Imma is also included.

What does the name Imke mean?

The name Imke originates from Low German and Frisian and is regarded as a pet form of Irma as well as the Low German form Imma. Both names are short forms of longer names that begin with 'Irm-', such as Irmgard or Irmtraud. The meaning of Imke is 'the all-encompassing' or 'the great' and derives from the Old High German word irmin, which means 'all-encompassing, great, powerful.' Due to its phonetic similarity to the Low German term 'Imme,' which means 'bee,' Imke is often interpreted as 'the honeybee' or more broadly as 'the diligent one,' although this association is not etymologically accurate. The girl's name Imke was particularly popular from the 1960s to the 1980s, especially in Northern Germany, but is now less frequently given. The name is also common in the Netherlands. Variants include Imka and Ymke, while the masculine form is Imko.

Where does the name Imke come from?

The name Imke has Old High German roots and means 'the all-encompassing' or 'the great.' The Old High German word ermen/irmin stands for all-encompassing, great, and powerful. Imke can be found in various languages such as Frisian, Dutch, Low German, and Plattdeutsch.

How do you pronounce Imke?

The name Imke is two syllables and has a clear structure. In the pronunciation 'Im-ke' [ˈɪmkə], the consonant cluster -mk- creates a certain density in the middle. The final -e gives the name a gentle touch at the end. Thus, Imke conveys a Nordic sobriety combined with friendliness – compact, factual, and harmonious.

When is the name day of Imke?

The name day of Imke, in its function as a variant of Irma, is celebrated on December 24 to commemorate Saint Irmina of Oeren.

Popularity

Imke is a common first name in Germany. Currently, it ranks 3,210th in the list of the most common female first names. The highest ranking was achieved in 2009 with position 475. In the last ten years, Imke has been chosen as a first name about 150 times, placing it 1,952nd in the ten-year statistics. From 2010 to 2024, it ranks 1,683rd. Imke also enjoys a certain popularity internationally.

Nicknames & pet names

Biene / Eike / Honey / Hornissen / Hummel / Ikke / Ikkel / Imauto / Imchen / Imhaus / Imi / Imkatsch / Imkeineahnung / Imkeller / Imkepimke / Imker / Imkey / Imki / Imkiary / Imkie / Imkilein / Imklo / Imkoi / Imkoley / Imkä / Imkö / Imme / Immel / Immens / Immenweg / Immerhin / Immi / Imsche / Imschke / Irmchen / Irmgard / Irmi / Irmkard / Irmscher / Ke / Mimke / Pimkie / Timke / Triene / Wespe / Ümke

Similar first names

Famous people

• Imke Barnstedt (German actress)
• Imke Bartels (equestrian from the Netherlands)
• Imke Brügger (actress)
• Imke Büchel (German actress)
• Imke Duplitzer (fencer)
• Imke Köhler (radio presenter)
• Imke Müller (German actress)
• Imke Rust (Namibian artist)
• Imke Sönnichsen (German illustrator)
• Imke Wedekind (volleyball player from Germany)
• Imke Wübbenhorst (football player)