What does Ivar mean?
Ivar joins the Old Norse for “yew/bow” and “warrior.”
What does Thor mean?
Thor is the Norse god of thunder, his name meaning “thunder” itself.
Ivar vs Thor
Which is more popular?
Ivar is more popular than Thor today: about 133 US babies were given the name Ivar in 2025, compared with 44 named Thor.
| Ivar | Thor | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Bow warrior | Thunder |
| Origin | Norse | Norse |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | EE-var | THOR |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| First appeared | 1896 | 1904 |
| Peak year | 2025 (133) | 2015 (118) |
| In 2025 | 133 | 44 |
| Trend | Near its peak | Steady |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Ivar
Thor
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Ivar | Thor |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 668 | 415 |
| 2010s | 260 | 1,026 |
| 2000s | 48 | 699 |
| 1990s | 6 | 498 |
| 1980s | 10 | 469 |
| 1970s | 36 | 538 |
| 1960s | 45 | 568 |
| 1950s | 45 | 208 |
| 1940s | 33 | 137 |
| 1930s | 84 | 91 |
| 1920s | 114 | 117 |
| 1910s | 109 | 86 |
| 1900s | 5 | 5 |
| 1890s | 5 | 0 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Ivar or Thor more popular?
Ivar is more popular than Thor today: about 133 US babies were given the name Ivar in 2025, compared with 44 named Thor.
What is the difference between Ivar and Thor?
Ivar means Bow warrior (Norse origin), while Thor means Thunder (Norse origin).
Which name is older, Ivar or Thor?
In US records, Ivar first appears in 1896 and Thor in 1904, so Ivar has the longer recorded history.