Idris has two separate roots: in Arabic it is the name of a prophet in the Quran, often identified with Enoch and usually explained as "interpreter" or "studious", and in Welsh it is an old name meaning "ardent lord", from iudd, lord, and ris, ardent. British actor Idris Elba made the name familiar to American audiences. Idris ranked number 3020 in the United States in 2000, entered the top 1000 in 2018 and reached number 694 in 2025, its highest rank yet.