The story behind Ivy
From ivy, the name of a plant. An ivy branch used to be hung outside an establishment to advertise that it sold alcohol, so it may originally been an occupationational surname for the proprietor of such an establishment.
Other language forms and explanations (1)
Tagalog entry
Borrowed from English Ivy, from ivy.
Pronunciation
US English (ARPAbet): AY1 V IY0
Regional pronunciation variants
- Tagalog; Standard-Tagalog: /ˈʔajvi/
- Tagalog; Standard-Tagalog: [ˈʔaɪ̯.vɪ]
- Tagalog: /ˈʔajbi/
- Tagalog: [ˈʔaɪ̯.bɪ]
This is a US English dictionary reading of the spelling; personal pronunciations may differ. Digits mark stress: 0 is unstressed, 1 is primary, 2 is secondary. Pronunciation source and notation.
Popularity
Ivy ranked #39 in US for 2025.
Source: SSA national baby names
Names Similar to Ivy
Gary
Medieval short form of Germanic compound names beginning with gari or geri ("spear"), such as Gerard, Garrett, Gerald, or Gerbert. Cognate with the Scottish and Irish name…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends Y
- same syllable count
- similar length
July
From Middle English Julie, julye, iulius, from Anglo-Norman julie, from Old French jule, juil, from Latin iūlius (Gaius Julius Caesar's month), perhaps a contraction of…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
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- same syllable count
- similar length
Lily
A 19th-century flower name, from lily. Also a diminutive of Lilian and sometimes Elizabeth. Borrowed from English Lily, from lily.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends Y
- same syllable count
- similar length
Lucy
From Middle English Lucy, from Old French Lucie (notably after the Christian martyr Lucia of Syracuse), from Latin Lucia (feminine of Lucius, a Roman praenomen), from lux…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends Y
- same syllable count
- similar length
Mary
From Middle English Marie, from Old French Marie, from Latin Maria, from Ancient Greek Μαρία (María), Μαριάμ (Mariám), from Aramaic מַרְיָם (maryām) or Biblical Hebrew מִרְיָם…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends Y
- same syllable count
- similar length
Abby
Borrowed from English Abby in the 20th century. Borrowed from English Abby.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends Y
- same syllable count
- similar length
Middle Names for Ivy
Aria
As a 21st century English name from TV and fantasy fiction, explained as "a musical aria". Similar sounding names exist in many languages, e.g. Ariah and Arie from Hebrew, Arya…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Blue
From the German surname, Americanized from Blau or its French cognate bleu.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends E
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Earl
From earl (“nobleman”).
- Gender
- mixed
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends L
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Sibling Names for Ivy
Alan
From Old Breton Alan, name of early Breton saints, of disputed origin and meaning; brought to England by Normans. It may have been the name of a Celtic deity, the brother of…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
- compatible short style
- shared origin connection
Alma
Usually explained as Latin alma (“nourishing, kind”). It has also been used as a short form of Germanic compound names beginning with the element Amal-, as in Amelia. From…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- compatible short style
- shared origin connection
Ann
From Late Latin Anna chiefly in reference to St Anne the apocryphal mother of Mary mother of Jesus but appearing in the Vulgate in reference to Anna the Prophetess, from Koine…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends N
- compatible short style
- shared origin connection