Ivo

Ivo is, on one hand, a medieval name of Old Germanic and Celtic origin, and on the other hand, it is also a South Slavic diminutive of Ivan. In the Middle Ages, the name Ivo was widespread in England and France.

What does the name Ivo mean?

Ivo is, on one hand, a medieval name of Old Germanic and Celtic origin, and on the other hand, it is also a South Slavic diminutive of Ivan. In the Middle Ages, the name Ivo was widespread in England and France. The name likely derives from the Old High German word īwa or the Proto-Germanic *īwaz for 'yew' (a type of tree). The related Celtic word ivo or the Proto-Celtic *ivos has the same meaning. Therefore, the meaning of the first name Ivo is simply 'the yew'. Since bows were made from yew wood in the Middle Ages, the name is also often symbolically attributed with the meaning 'the archer'. In the South Slavic region, especially in Croatia, Ivo is a short and affectionate form of Ivan, the South Slavic form of the biblical name John. In this case, the name Ivo has an ancient Hebrew origin and the meaning 'God is gracious'. The name gained popularity in the Middle Ages primarily through the veneration of Saint Ivo Hélory of Kermartin (1253-1303), a priest from Brittany, who is now considered the patron saint of Brittany and the patron saint of lawyers. In French, the name is written as Yves. Other variants include Erwan, Evo, Ives, Iwo, Youenn, Yvo, and Yvon. Female variants are Iva, Ivona, and Ivonne. Today, the first name Ivo is mainly common in the Slavic region, particularly in Croatia and the Czech Republic.

Where does the name Ivo come from?

Etymology Ivo is a male first name of Old Germanic and ancient Hebrew origin with the meanings 'the yew' or 'God is gracious'. Old Germanic Ancient Hebrew Old High German Celtic

How do you pronounce Ivo?

Sound & pronunciation of Ivo: The name Ivo is two syllables and vowel-heavy. In German pronunciation, it is usually pronounced as 'I-vo' [ˈiːvo], with the long 'i' giving the name a bright and carrying quality. The soft 'v' and the open 'o' at the end lend the sound lightness. Ivo comes across as clear and modern - simple, friendly, and present.

When is the name day of Ivo?

The name day for the Indo-European name Ivo is on April 24 (Ivo of Ramsey), May 19 (Ivo Hélory), and December 23 (Ivo of Chartres). As a diminutive of Ivan and variant of Johannes, Ivo's name day is on June 24 (John's Day) and December 27.

Popularity

Ivo is a very popular first name in Germany. Currently, it ranks 716th in the list of the most common male baby names. Its best ranking was in 1978, reaching 62nd place. In the last ten years, Ivo has been given as a first name about 740 times, placing it 676th in the ten-year statistics. From 2010 to 2024, it ranks 696th.

Nicknames & pet names

Iva / Ivak / Ivara / Ive / Ivek / Ives / Ivic / Ivke / Ivko / Ivoslav / Ivus / Ivvi / Iwi / Kivi / Kiwi / Yves

Similar first names

Famous people

• Felix Ivo Leicher (Austrian painter)
• St. Ivo Hélory (Breton lawyer)
• Humphrey Ivo John Southern (Bishop from Great Britain)
• Ivo Aarts (* 1993), Dutch pool billiards player
• Ivo Adam (World Champion chef)
• Ivo Andric (Writer and Nobel Prize in Literature laureate 1960)
• Ivo Babuska (Czech mathematician)
• Ivo Batic (Series commissioner from Tatort)
• Ivo Bulanda (Film director from Germany)
• Ivo Cocconi (Italian footballer)
• Ivo Fabijan Mrvelj (Croatian singer and composer)
• Ivo Georgiev (Football player from Bulgaria)
• Ivo Gönner (Mayor of the city of Ulm)
• Ivo Gregurevic (Croatian actor)
• Ivo Hauptmann (English painter)
• Ivo Iaconi (Football manager from Italy)
• Ivo Ilicevic (Football player)
• Ivo Josipovic (Croatian President)
• Ivo Karlovic (Croatian tennis player)
• Ivo Kortlang (Actor)