Ivory Unisex
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: EYE-vuh-ree /ˈaɪ.və.ri/
Origin: English; Latin
Meaning: English: white; Latin: ivory (material)
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Ivory derives from the Old French word "ivorie," which itself comes from the Latin "ebur," meaning "ivory" or "elephant tusk." This Latin term traces back to the Greek word "elephas," which also means "elephant." The transition into English occurred during the Middle Ages, when the term began to be used not only to describe the material but also as a given name, reflecting the value and beauty associated with ivory as a precious substance. The name embodies a sense of elegance and rarity, often linked to purity and beauty due to the material's historical significance in art and ornamentation.
Historically, ivory has been a symbol of wealth and status, often used in the creation of intricate carvings and luxury items. Its use can be traced back to ancient civilizations, including the Egyptians and the Chinese, who valued it for both its aesthetic qualities and its durability.
In the context of names, the association with ivory has appeared in various literary and artistic works throughout the centuries, reinforcing its cultural significance. The name Ivory has been used in literature and art to evoke themes of beauty and rarity, further embedding it in cultural consciousness.
In terms of cultural resonance, the name Ivory carries connotations of purity and refinement, often associated with the color white, which symbolizes innocence and clarity. This symbolic association has contributed to its endurance as a name, as it evokes positive attributes that resonate across various cultures.
While diminutive forms of the name are less common, the name itself has maintained a sense of timelessness, reflecting the enduring allure of the material it represents.
Famous people named Ivory
In this section, you will find notable people named Ivory. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Ivory who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Ivory who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Ivory is a professional wrestler best known for her time in WWE and her role in the Attitude Era.
Ivory is a singer-songwriter best known for her work with the band The Ivorys and her solo album releases.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Ivory, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Ivory. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Ivory was first seen in the United States in 1886.
Ivory has ranked as high as #684 nationally, which occurred in 2024, and has been most popular in California, Texas, Florida, Illinois, and New York.
In the past 5 years the name Ivory has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Ivory is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Ivory was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Ivory (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| TX | 87 | |
| CA | 65 | |
| FL | 41 | |
| GA | 37 | |
| OH | 35 | |
| IN | 33 | |
| KY | 29 | |
| NC | 28 | |
| TN | 26 | |
| NY | 22 | |
| OK | 22 | |
| IL | 21 | |
| VA | 21 | |
| LA | 20 | |
| PA | 20 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Ivory.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 784 |
| 2023 | 585 |
| 2022 | 598 |
| 2021 | 538 |
| 2020 | 483 |
| 2019 | 530 |
| 2018 | 464 |
| 2017 | 468 |
| 2016 | 464 |
| 2015 | 396 |
| 2014 | 374 |
| 2013 | 299 |
| 2012 | 245 |
| 2011 | 150 |
| 2010 | 116 |
| 2009 | 117 |
| 2008 | 147 |
| 2007 | 130 |
| 2006 | 130 |
| 2005 | 148 |
| 2004 | 106 |
| 2003 | 146 |
| 2002 | 124 |
| 2001 | 147 |
| 2000 | 134 |
| 1999 | 142 |
| 1998 | 146 |
| 1997 | 95 |
| 1996 | 116 |
| 1995 | 91 |
| 1994 | 111 |
| 1993 | 131 |
| 1992 | 109 |
| 1991 | 116 |
| 1990 | 124 |
| 1989 | 104 |
| 1988 | 115 |
| 1987 | 117 |
| 1986 | 108 |
| 1985 | 134 |
| 1984 | 135 |
| 1983 | 173 |
| 1982 | 177 |
| 1981 | 67 |
| 1980 | 73 |
| 1979 | 84 |
| 1978 | 62 |
| 1977 | 45 |
| 1976 | 55 |
| 1975 | 30 |
| 1974 | 28 |
| 1973 | 35 |
| 1972 | 25 |
| 1971 | 33 |
| 1970 | 33 |
| 1969 | 39 |
| 1968 | 19 |
| 1967 | 17 |
| 1966 | 30 |
| 1965 | 27 |
| 1964 | 44 |
| 1963 | 39 |
| 1962 | 44 |
| 1961 | 48 |
| 1960 | 55 |
| 1959 | 47 |
| 1958 | 41 |
| 1957 | 58 |
| 1956 | 59 |
| 1955 | 51 |
| 1954 | 34 |
| 1953 | 38 |
| 1952 | 71 |
| 1951 | 55 |
| 1950 | 70 |
| 1949 | 53 |
| 1948 | 55 |
| 1947 | 58 |
| 1946 | 52 |
| 1945 | 56 |
| 1944 | 53 |
| 1943 | 54 |
| 1942 | 58 |
| 1941 | 38 |
| 1940 | 50 |
| 1939 | 47 |
| 1938 | 46 |
| 1937 | 44 |
| 1936 | 41 |
| 1935 | 51 |
| 1934 | 44 |
| 1933 | 38 |
| 1932 | 48 |
| 1931 | 43 |
| 1930 | 51 |
| 1929 | 42 |
| 1928 | 37 |
| 1927 | 70 |
| 1926 | 54 |
| 1925 | 52 |
| 1924 | 56 |
| 1923 | 55 |
| 1922 | 61 |
| 1921 | 40 |
| 1920 | 57 |
| 1919 | 57 |
| 1918 | 54 |
| 1917 | 43 |
| 1916 | 39 |
| 1915 | 45 |
| 1914 | 35 |
| 1913 | 32 |
| 1912 | 34 |
| 1911 | 36 |
| 1910 | 32 |
| 1909 | 23 |
| 1908 | 16 |
| 1907 | 19 |
| 1906 | 15 |
| 1905 | 20 |
| 1904 | 27 |
| 1903 | 12 |
| 1902 | 17 |
| 1901 | 20 |
| 1900 | 15 |
| 1899 | 11 |
| 1898 | 9 |
| 1897 | 13 |
| 1896 | 12 |
| 1895 | 13 |
| 1894 | 9 |
| 1893 | 9 |
| 1892 | 7 |
| 1891 | 7 |
| 1890 | 7 |
| 1889 | 5 |
| 1887 | 7 |
| 1886 | 5 |