Ivarr
A masculine given name of Norse origin meaning "archer" or "bowman".
Name Census estimates that about 13 living Americans carry the first name Ivarr. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Ivarr today is around 4 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Ivarr births was 2023 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Ivarr. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Ivarr with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Ivarr. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
13
~ 1 in 26,365,718 Americans
Peak year
2023
8 babies that year
Average age
4
years old
2023 SSA rank
#9,240
Tracked since 2021
Popularity
Ivarr: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Ivarr by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Ivarr during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 13 | 0 | 13 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Ivarr
The given name Ivarr has its origins rooted in Old Norse, the language spoken by the ancient Scandinavian people. It can be traced back to the Viking Age, which spanned approximately from the late 8th century to the late 11th century. The name Ivarr is derived from the Old Norse words "yr," meaning yew tree, and "arr," meaning warrior or archer. Thus, the name carries the meaning of "yew warrior" or "archer of the yew."
The earliest recorded use of the name Ivarr can be found in various Old Norse sagas and chronicles, which recount the exploits and histories of the Viking rulers and warriors. One of the most notable figures bearing this name was Ivarr the Boneless, a legendary Viking leader who is said to have been a son of the formidable Danish king Ragnar Lothbrok. Ivarr the Boneless lived in the late 9th century and is believed to have led the Great Heathen Army that invaded and occupied parts of England.
Another historical figure with the name Ivarr was Ivarr Vidfamne, a semi-legendary king of Sweden who is mentioned in the medieval Icelandic work Heimskringla, written by the famed historian Snorri Sturluson. Ivarr Vidfamne is said to have ruled in the late 7th century and is known for his conquests and the establishment of a vast kingdom.
In the 12th century, Ivarr Ingimundarson was a prominent Icelandic chieftain and lawspeaker. He played a significant role in the Sturlung Age, a period of civil strife and conflict in Iceland. Ivarr Ingimundarson is remembered for his efforts to maintain peace and uphold the rule of law during this turbulent time.
Another notable figure with the name Ivarr was Ivarr Aasen, a Norwegian philologist and linguist who lived from 1813 to 1896. Aasen is renowned for his contributions to the development of the Nynorsk language, one of the two official written standards of Norwegian. His work helped to preserve and promote the traditional Norwegian language and culture.
In more recent history, Ivarr Ingimarsson was an Icelandic chess player who lived from 1923 to 2005. He was one of the strongest players in Iceland and represented his country in numerous international tournaments, including several Chess Olympiads.
The name Ivarr, with its rich historical roots and associations with Viking warriors, rulers, and influential figures, continues to be used in Scandinavia and beyond, carrying a legacy of strength, resilience, and cultural significance.
People
Ivarr + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Ivarr as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with I
Other first names starting with I with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Ivarr: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Ivarr?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 13 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Ivarr going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 26,365,718 US residents.
Is Ivarr a common name?
We classify Ivarr as "Very Rare". It ranks above 33.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 13 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Ivarr most popular?
The single biggest year for Ivarr was 2023, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Ivarr is about 4 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Ivarr in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Ivarr a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Ivarr in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Ivarr still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Ivarr in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Ivarr can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How common is the name Ivarr?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.