Irīna is the Latvian form of Irene, ultimately derived from Greek Εἰρήνη (Eirene), meaning "peace." In Greek mythology, Eirene was the goddess of peace, one of the Horae. The name was borne by several early Christian saints and was common in the Byzantine Empire, notably by the 8th-century empress Irene, who was the first woman to rule the empire.Irīna entered Latvian usage as a variant of Irēna. It was first recorded as a given name in Latvia in 1819. According to the Population Register of Latvia, as of May 21, 2010, Irīna was the only given name of 1,199 persons in Latvia. The name remains moderately popular in Latvia, linked to both Eastern Orthodox traditions and the broader cultural sphere of Slavic and Baltic influence.Related Latvian forms include Irēna, while cognates in other languages include Irina (Russian), Irena (Slovene), Iryna (Ukrainian), and Ena (Croatian). The name has no connection to the Irish name Eirene of the same spelling.Notable BearersNotable Latvian individuals named Irīna include Irīna Timotejeva (born 1990), aLatvian canoeist who competed at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, and Irīna Stankēviča, aLatvian medievalist and historian.Meaning: peaceOrigin: Latvian form of Irene, from Greek EireneType: Given name, feminineUsage: LatviaRelated: Irēna (Latvian variant); Irina (Russian, etc.)