Given name & surname

Iver

“the archer's bow; of the yew wood”

Iver is a variant of Ives. One Scandinavian interpretation is “the archer's bow; of the yew wood.”

Meaning & origin

What it means

Iver is a variant of Ives. One Scandinavian interpretation is “the archer's bow; of the yew wood.”

Explained through its name family

Where it comes from

Iver is a variant of Ives. An origin associated with Ives is Scandinavian. Iver shares an earlier linguistic root with Ivor. Ivor has been associated with Scandinavian and Old Norse naming traditions.

Explained through its name family

The story

Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1884. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.

From dated birth records

Iver through the years

Babies since 1880
1,789
1,687 boys · 102 girls
Most popular year
2023
86 babies
2025
66
#2,170 for boys
2021–25 vs 2016–20
+38%
Rising
Boys Girls
0204060801900192019401960198020002025Highest share 1909Boys 39Girls 0.0
Iver in U.S. Social Security birth records, 1884–2025, per million births of each sex. Years with fewer than five births for a sex are not published and appear as zero. Use the arrow keys to step through years.

Where it’s given

Most at home inMinnesota, California
FewerMore, relative to births Not published
2025 births by state of birth. Tiles are equal-sized so small states stay visible. Highest rates: Minnesota (8), California (6).

By the numbers

In 2025, this name appeared in 66 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 2,170 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 34.0% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, Minnesota had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (8). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 874 as a first name in 2020.

From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.

Iver’s family of names

Iver shares a linguistic root with Ivor. In Danish usage, Iver has a related form in Ivar. In Norwegian usage, Iver has a conventional equivalent in the English form Ivor.

Walk Iver’s family in the name graph

IverIvarIvesIvorIversen

Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.

Hover or tab through the constellation to see how each name is related. Bigger dots are names more people in the U.S. share.

Around the world

Iver has relatives in 3 languages.

Danish

3 related names in 3 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.

Each dot marks where a language is rooted, not where people with the name live today. Bigger dots hold more names. Language locations from Glottolog (CC BY 4.0); map from Natural Earth.

Nicknames & forms 2

Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.

Across languages 2

Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.

Similar names

If you love Iver, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.

Basque · Modern

Iker

“a visitor”

63FamiliarEasing

>99% boys

 

Wilder

Wilder is a surname.

63FamiliarRising fast

92% boys · 8% girls

Danish

Kyler

“an archer”

63FamiliarEasing

94% boys · 6% girls

Biblical

Ismael

“God will listen”

68FamiliarRising

>99% boys

Latin

Archer

“a skilled bowman”

80CommonRising fast

99% boys · 1% girls

Hebrew

Asher

“fortunate” · “happy”

88Very commonRising

99% boys · 1% girls

Danish · Modern

Ryker

“a powerful ruler”

73CommonEasing

98% boys · 2% girls

Latin · Nature

Oliver

“olive tree”

96Very commonRising

>99% boys

Sibling ideas

Names that share Iver’s feel without repeating its first letter or rhyming with it.

A brother for Iver

A sister for Iver