Reserved Names

An important responsibility of the AIS is to prevent duplication of named irises so that named cultivars are unique.

Selecting a name for a cultivar can be one of the most challenging considerations when deciding to register an iris for any hybridizer. Hybridizers can check their preferred names using the electronic iris register for name conflicts or if the name as already been used at: https://register.irises.org.

They can also reserve a name using the electronic iris register. While the registrar provides a periodic list of reserved names for users’ convenience (see below), all hybridizers are encouraged to check the electronic register for the most up-to-date listing of reserved names.

Reserved names as of January 2026

Name Restrictions

Names should follow the rules established by the international code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants. The following names are NOT be permitted:

1. Names of living persons without their written consent, or names of recently deceased (within past ten years) persons without permission of next of kin or other authority.
2. A person’s name including the following forms of address or equivalent in another language: Mr., Mrs., Miss, Ms.
3. Names including symbols, numerals, non-essential punctuation, or abbreviations.
4. Names beginning with the articles “a” or “the” or their equivalent in other languages unless required by linguistic custom.
5. Names in Latin or in latinized form.
6. Slight variation of a previously registered name.
7. Names in excess of four words, or thirty letters.
8. Names containing the word “iris” or “flag” or the species name of any recognized species of Iris, or formed wholly by recombining parts of the parental species’ names.
9. Names containing the hybridizer’s name in possessive form. (Green Pastures acceptable; Green’s Pastures not.)
10. Names which exaggerate or may become inaccurate (e.g. Heaviest Lace, Tallest Black), or which are composed solely of adjectives which could be construed as a simple description of a non-registered iris (e.g. Late Pink, Pale Blue, Ruffled).
11. Names translated from the original language. (They should be transliterated as necessary instead.)

Previously registered names may be re-used only if:

1. The originally registered iris has not been introduced or distributed by name,
2. Does not appear by name in parentage resgistrations, and
3. a reslease is obtained from the original registrant

Names will not be released as obsolete unless no stock now exists and the iris was not listed as a parent in registrations.