What does Ivar mean?
Ivar joins the Old Norse for “yew/bow” and “warrior.”
What does Magnus mean?
Magnus comes from the Latin for “great,” long popular across Scandinavia.
Ivar vs Magnus
Which is more popular?
Magnus is more popular than Ivar today: about 337 US babies were given the name Magnus in 2025, compared with 133 named Ivar.
| Ivar | Magnus | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Bow warrior | Great |
| Origin | Norse | Norse |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | EE-var | MAG-nus |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1896 | 1890 |
| Peak year | 2025 (133) | 2021 (354) |
| In 2025 | 133 | 337 |
| Trend | Near its peak | Near its peak |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Ivar
Magnus
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Ivar | Magnus |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 668 | 1,989 |
| 2010s | 260 | 2,389 |
| 2000s | 48 | 1,028 |
| 1990s | 6 | 212 |
| 1980s | 10 | 74 |
| 1970s | 36 | 30 |
| 1960s | 45 | 18 |
| 1950s | 45 | 39 |
| 1940s | 33 | 23 |
| 1930s | 84 | 66 |
| 1920s | 114 | 132 |
| 1910s | 109 | 122 |
| 1900s | 5 | 29 |
| 1890s | 5 | 21 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Ivar or Magnus more popular?
Magnus is more popular than Ivar today: about 337 US babies were given the name Magnus in 2025, compared with 133 named Ivar.
What is the difference between Ivar and Magnus?
Ivar means Bow warrior (Norse origin), while Magnus means Great (Norse origin).
Which name is older, Ivar or Magnus?
In US records, Ivar first appears in 1896 and Magnus in 1890, so Magnus has the longer recorded history.