Iversen
Of Scandinavian origin, meaning "son of Iver", a name derived from the Old Norse name Ivarr.
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Iversen. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Iversen today is around 6 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Iversen births was 2020 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Iversen. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Iversen. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2020
5 babies that year
Average age
6
years old
2020 SSA rank
#12,826
Tracked since 2020
Popularity
Iversen: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Iversen 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 Iversen 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 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Iversen
Iversen is a Scandinavian given name with origins tracing back to the Old Norse language. It is derived from the combination of two words: "Ivar" and "sen". "Ivar" is believed to be a compound of the Norse elements "yr" meaning yew tree and "arr" meaning warrior or archer, while "sen" is a later addition meaning son of.
In its earliest forms, the name was spelled as "Ivarsen" or "Ivarson" and was used as a patronymic, indicating the son of a man named Ivar. This naming convention was common in Norse and Germanic cultures, where a person's surname often reflected their lineage and parentage.
The name Iversen can be traced back to the Viking Age, spanning from the late 8th century to the late 11th century. During this period, the Norse people explored and settled in various regions of Europe, including Scandinavia, the British Isles, and parts of modern-day France and Russia. It is likely that the name was carried and spread by Norse settlers and traders during this expansive era.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Iversen can be found in the Icelandic Sagas, a collection of historical narratives and literature from the 13th and 14th centuries. The Saga of Ivar the Boneless, for example, tells the story of a legendary Viking warrior named Ivar, who lived in the late 9th century.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Iversen:
1. Ivar Aasen (1813-1896), a Norwegian philologist and scholar who played a significant role in the development of the Nynorsk language.
2. Ivar Ingimarsson (born 1976), an Icelandic former professional football player who represented his country in international competitions.
3. Ivar Vidfamne (c. 700 AD), a semi-legendary Swedish king and the founder of the Yngling dynasty, according to Norse mythology.
4. Ivar Timewalker (born 1962), a Norwegian drummer and founding member of the black metal band Immortal.
5. Ivar Ballangrud (1904-1969), a Norwegian speed skater who won multiple Olympic and World Championship medals in the 1920s and 1930s.
While the name Iversen has traditionally been more prevalent in Scandinavian countries, it has also gained popularity in other parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange. The name continues to carry a strong connection to its Norse origins and the rich history of the Viking era.
People
Iversen + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Iversen 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
Iversen: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Iversen?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Iversen 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Iversen a common name?
We classify Iversen as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Iversen most popular?
The single biggest year for Iversen was 2020, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Iversen is about 6 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 Iversen in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Iversen a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Iversen 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 Iversen still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Iversen 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 Iversen 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 many people have Iversen as a first name?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.