Iva
Iva was the 1740th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 117 babies. Its best year was 1894, when it ranked 111th; the most babies were born in 1918 (889). Over the last ten years it has moved up 235 places. More babies were named Iva in the 1920s than in any other decade.
Meaning Origin uncertain · Slavic, English
Say it EYE-vuh /ˈaɪvə/
- Rank in 2025
- #1,740 girls, up 125 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 117girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 1918889 babies
- Total since 1880
- 38,961babies recorded
What does the name Iva mean?
Iva has more than one source. Wiktionary describes it as a woman's name of Slavic origin used in the US since about 1900; in Czech, Croatian and Serbian it is a feminine of Ivo or Ivan. DMNES also records a medieval Iva as the feminine of Ivo, a name probably linked to the yew tree. Iva was most common in the US in the 1910s and 1920s, and how these American parents understood it is not documented.
Ivo (Old French / Germanic, “probably "yew"”)Ivan (Slavic, “John”)
How sure is this? Uncertain. Slavic Iva (from Ivan/Ivo) and medieval Western Iva (from Ivo) are both possible sources.
Related names: Ivo, Ivana, Yvette, Eva.
See also: Slavic names.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Iva', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Iva', DMNES (Durham University)
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Ivo', DMNES (Durham University)
- Wikipedia, 'Iva (given name)', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation)
Iva popularity since 1880
A few boys are given the name too: 564 since 1883.
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,740 | 117 |
| 2020 | #1,865 | 104 |
| 2010 | #2,879 | 60 |
| 2000 | #3,552 | 37 |
| 1990 | #3,180 | 35 |
| 1980 | #2,228 | 45 |
| 1970 | #1,394 | 75 |
| 1960 | #905 | 136 |
| 1950 | #577 | 210 |
| 1940 | #328 | 378 |
| 1930 | #254 | 605 |
| 1920 | #222 | 861 |
| 1910 | #168 | 406 |
| 1900 | #131 | 483 |
| 1890 | #113 | 354 |
| 1880 | #129 | 127 |
How popular is Iva, counting every spelling?
Iva is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #1,495 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #1,740 for Iva on its own. Together these spellings went to 125 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iva | 117 | #1,740 | 541 |
| Ivah | 8 | #11,312 | 43 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Iva?
117 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Iva (0.03 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Iva born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 72 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Iva.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Iva?
About 8,100 people born in the US named Iva are alive today, with a median age of 67; half are between 28 and 80. That makes Iva a name most people associate with older generations. The wide spread shows a name popular in two different eras.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Iva by state
How common Iva was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Michigan (2.2×), Ohio (1.8×). In 34 states fewer than five girls a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Iva: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Iva, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Iva · Sibling names for Iva
Questions about the name Iva
What does Iva mean?
The origin of Iva is uncertain: Slavic Iva (from Ivan/Ivo) and medieval Western Iva (from Ivo) are both possible sources.
How popular is the name Iva?
Iva was the 1740th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 117 babies. Its best year was 1894, when it ranked 111th; the most babies were born in 1918 (889). Over the last ten years it has moved up 235 places. More babies were named Iva in the 1920s than in any other decade.
Is Iva a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Iva in the US.
Where is Iva most popular?
In 2021–2025, Iva was most common in Michigan (0.15 per 1,000 girls), followed by Ohio and Tennessee.