Ives

♂ Boy

Pronounced EYEVZ /ˈaɪvz/Medium

Meaning: Ives is an English surname from the medieval given name Ivo, of Germanic origin from a word for the yew tree — the wood of bows. It is the English cousin of French Yves, and is tied to Saint Ive and to the town of St Ives.Medium

In 30 seconds: Ives is the English cousin of Yves, from a word for yew wood (said 'EYEVZ') — one crisp syllable with real medieval roots.

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Origin MediumEnglish, French

MeaningIves is an English surname from the medieval given name Ivo, of Germanic origin from a word for the yew tree — the wood of bows. It is the English cousin of French Yves, and is tied to Saint Ive and to the town of St Ives.

U.S. rank (2024)#12991 ↘ Falling

2024 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2020

Total births (all-time)≈ 89

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Ives descends from Ivo, a medieval Germanic given name from the word for the yew tree, the wood English bows were cut from. It became an English surname, the French kept it as Yves, and Saint Ive lent his name to the town of St Ives. Composer Charles Ives carried it as a surname (said 'EYEVZ').

In the U.S. it is very rare as a first name. Rare, sleek, and quietly historic.

Did you know? The yew tree gave the wood for medieval bows — and its name gave us Ivo, Yves and Ives. St Ives in Cornwall carries the same name (said 'EYEVZ').

Overall data confidence 55%

References — Ives — English surname from Ivo; yew tree; French Yves; St Ives

Variations

YvesIvoIvan

Nicknames

IveIvo

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Ives…

Yves— the French form of the same name

Ivo— the medieval original behind it

Otis— a like short vintage surname name

Ames— a like one-beat surname pick

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By themeshort nature french surname

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Ives mean?

Ives comes from the medieval name Ivo, from a word for the yew tree; it is the English cousin of French Yves.

How do you pronounce Ives?

It's said EYEVZ /ˈaɪvz/ — one syllable.

Is Ives a boy or girl name?

Ives is a boy's name.

How popular is Ives?

Ives is a very rare first name for boys in the U.S., better known as a surname.