Ivory Unisex

Popularity: #362 · Trend: ↗ Rising

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
12%
CA 65
9%
FL 41
6%
GA 37
5%
OH 35
5%
IN 33
5%
KY 29
4%
NC 28
4%
TN 26
4%
NY 22
3%
OK 22
3%
IL 21
3%
VA 21
3%
LA 20
3%
PA 20
3%

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.

YearBirths
2024784
2023585
2022598
2021538
2020483
2019530
2018464
2017468
2016464
2015396
2014374
2013299
2012245
2011150
2010116
2009117
2008147
2007130
2006130
2005148
2004106
2003146
2002124
2001147
2000134
1999142
1998146
199795
1996116
199591
1994111
1993131
1992109
1991116
1990124
1989104
1988115
1987117
1986108
1985134
1984135
1983173
1982177
198167
198073
197984
197862
197745
197655
197530
197428
197335
197225
197133
197033
196939
196819
196717
196630
196527
196444
196339
196244
196148
196055
195947
195841
195758
195659
195551
195434
195338
195271
195155
195070
194953
194855
194758
194652
194556
194453
194354
194258
194138
194050
193947
193846
193744
193641
193551
193444
193338
193248
193143
193051
192942
192837
192770
192654
192552
192456
192355
192261
192140
192057
191957
191854
191743
191639
191545
191435
191332
191234
191136
191032
190923
190816
190719
190615
190520
190427
190312
190217
190120
190015
189911
18989
189713
189612
189513
18949
18939
18927
18917
18907
18895
18877
18865