Iven
Strong archer or skilled bowman of Old Norse origin.
Name Census estimates that about 740 living Americans carry the first name Iven. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Iven today is around 32 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Iven births was 2006 (26 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Iven. 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.
People living today
740
~ 1 in 463,182 Americans
Peak year
2006
26 babies that year
Average age
32
years old
2024 SSA rank
#5,739
Tracked since 1913
Popularity
Iven: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Iven from the 1910s through to the 2020s, spanning 12 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 191 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2000s peak, Iven remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Iven 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 Iven during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Ivens live
Origin
Meaning and history of Iven
The given name Iven has its origins in the ancient Brythonic Celtic languages spoken in what is now Wales, Cornwall, and Brittany. It is derived from the Proto-Celtic word "ɩʒwinos," meaning "yew tree" or "yew wood." The yew tree held great significance in Celtic culture, often associated with longevity, rebirth, and the afterlife.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Iven can be found in the 9th century Welsh manuscript known as the "Black Book of Carmarthen." Here, the name appears as "Iuoraun," referring to a legendary figure in Welsh mythology. This early spelling highlights the name's evolution over time.
In the 12th century, the name Iven gained prominence through the exploits of Iven Basset, a prominent Anglo-Norman nobleman and crusader. Born around 1140, Iven Basset accompanied King Richard I on the Third Crusade and played a significant role in the siege of Acre in 1191.
Another notable figure bearing the name Iven was Iven Odrone, a 13th-century Welsh poet and bard. His works, preserved in the "Book of Taliesin," provide insight into the literary traditions of medieval Wales and the role of bards in Celtic society.
During the 16th century, the name Iven appeared in religious texts, such as the English translation of the Bible known as the "Geneva Bible." Here, the name is mentioned in the Book of Ezra, referring to a Jewish leader who returned from the Babylonian exile.
In more recent history, Iven Mackay (1793-1853) was a Scottish-born Canadian merchant and political figure. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada and played a role in the development of the timber trade in British North America.
While the name Iven has waned in popularity over the centuries, it has left an indelible mark on history, carrying the weight of its ancient Celtic roots and the cultural heritage of the British Isles. Its association with nature, poetry, and leadership has made it a unique and storied name throughout the ages.
People
Iven + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Iven 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
Iven: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Iven?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 740 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Iven 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 463,182 US residents.
Is Iven a common name?
We classify Iven as "Very Rare". It ranks above 88% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,124 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Iven most popular?
The single biggest year for Iven was 2006, when 26 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Iven is about 32 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Iven a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Iven 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.
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.