The word "Igrim" is of Mansi origin. However, the etymology is uncertain; according to one version, it comes from the Mansi word "ягр", meaning "lake".
Throughout its history, the town has had many names; all however have included a form of the fundamental element 'yagr' or 'Igrim', often with a Russian adjective added:
Egrim
Yagrim
Yurtu Igryumsky
Egrim-nel
Igrim-Lugovoy
Igrim-Lednik
Igrim-Gorny
History
Igrim is considered to have been founded in 1902 by the merchant Beshkiltsev, although the settlement features in official documents of the 19th century. The settlement at this time was named Igrim-Lugovoy. In the early history of the settlement, the main occupation of the inhabitants was fishing, and in the 1930s exiles built the settlement of Igrim-Lednik, on the right bank of the river. The main building of the settlement was the fish factory, along with its ice-house, after which the town was named. Igrim-Lugovoy ceased to exist in the 1950s, and shortly after part of Igrim-Lednik was destroyed by a flood. Following the destruction of both settlements, the modern Igrim was built. It was located southeast of the remains of Igrim-Lednik, in the mountains, and was therefore initially known as Igrim-Gorny. In 1964, it was granted work settlement status. The settlement expanded rapidly in the 1960s, growing fivefold. Most of this growth was in the northwesterly direction, and forests were cleared and marshes drained to provide room for this growth. In 1959–1961, several large gas deposits were found near the settlement. Exploration of the North Igrim deposits began in 1966 with the goal of providing Igrim with gas, and three years later a pipeline was built between Igrim and Punga. At this time active development of Igrim began, spurred on by the discovery of gas. The gas industry replaced fishing as the main livelihood of the inhabitants of Igrim, and today a large proportion of the population works in the gas industry, for Tyumentransgaz, a trust of Yugorkremstroygaz.
The settlement is a river port. It also has an airport, with an unpaved runway 2030 meters long; the airport's code is USHI. There are daily flights to Beryozovo and Khanty-Mansiysk. An important Igrim road is the 30 kmroad to the nearby Nizhniye Narykary. Almost the entire road consists of crushed stone, but in the summer of 2009 the first 7 km of the road were laid with asphalt. In the colder part of the year a winter road is opened to Priobye, Beryozovo, and Svetly, as well as other places in Beryozovsky District. A road which can be used all year round is also being planned; it will connect Beryozovo, Igrim, and Svetly.
