a male given name, borne by two French saints, and known in medieval romance
köken: Unclear still today, either short form of Germanic or Celtic compound names beginning with iv- "yew" - see Proto-Germanic *īhwaz (“yew”) and Proto-Celtic *iwos (“yew”), both from Proto-Indo-European *h₁eyHw- (“yew”).
köken: Two possible origins: # Latinate form of a medieval name of Old French origin, from Proto-Germanic *īhwaz (“yew, bow”). Name of French and English saints. Cognate with French Yves. # Short form of Ivan. Doublet of João, Ian, Jean, Ruan, and Geovane, all equivalents to English John.
First recorded as a given name of Latvians in 1962. Shortened from Ivars, also cognate to English Ivo, with ultimately the same Germanic meaning "yew, bow (of yew)".