Ivar
A Germanic name meaning "bow warrior", tied to the yew wood that old bows were cut from. Only about 65 men in Poland carry it, so most Poles have never met one.
Ivar Pronunciation
What Ivar means
Where Ivar comes from and what it has meant to the people who carry it.
Ivar comes from the Old Norse Ívarr, a Germanic name. Its two roots point to yew and warrior. Bows were cut from yew wood, so the short meaning settled into "yew warrior" or "bow warrior." A warrior of the yew is an archer.
The best documented bearer is Ivar the Boneless, Ívarr inn beinlausi. He was a Viking leader named in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and in Norse sagas of the ninth century. He helped lead the Great Heathen Army into England around 865. The byname beinlausi has puzzled readers for centuries.
In Poland Ivar stays rare. A teacher reading a school register might pause on it once. The spelling holds firm across Scandinavia, from Norway to Iceland, and no diminutive softens it. What stays is the yew and the warrior.
How many people are named Ivar
1 in 328403 men in Poland is named Ivar. 65 people carry it in the 2025 register: rank #4522 among male names.
Ivar's popularity over time
Fewer than 2 boys were given the name in 2025. It has been climbing since 2025.
Where Ivar is most popular
Ivar is most popular in West Pomeranian, 924% above the national average (4 boys born 2019–2025), followed by Łódź (+241%) and Lower Silesian (+175%).
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West Pomeranian4 boys born+924%
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Łódź2 boys born+241%
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Lower Silesian2 boys born+175%
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Masovian2 boys born+22%
Ivar as a middle name
Ivar is a first name for 65 men in Poland and a middle name for another 30, a 68/32 split. In the men's middle-name ranking it sits 1536th, between Harris (30) and Johnson (30).
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#1534 Hamid30
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#1535 Harris30
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#1536 Ivar30
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#1537 Johnson30
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#1538 Kingsley30