| Ivy | Willow | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Ivy plant; fidelity | Willow tree; grace |
| Origin | English | English |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | EYE-vee | WIL-oh |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1890 |
| Peak year | 2024 (5,343) | 2021 (5,195) |
| In 2025 | 5,117 | 4,763 |
| Trend | Near its peak | Near its peak |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Ivy | Willow |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 28,572 | 28,868 |
| 2010s | 23,492 | 27,072 |
| 2000s | 9,290 | 6,024 |
| 1990s | 5,119 | 1,217 |
| 1980s | 3,105 | 344 |
| 1970s | 2,573 | 502 |
| 1960s | 1,963 | 139 |
| 1950s | 2,510 | 138 |
| 1940s | 832 | 175 |
| 1930s | 791 | 208 |
| 1920s | 1,179 | 252 |
| 1910s | 1,314 | 111 |
| 1900s | 701 | 40 |
| 1890s | 764 | 5 |
| 1880s | 508 | 0 |
Ivy is an English nature name from the climbing plant, a traditional emblem of fidelity and lasting attachment.
Willow is an English nature name from the graceful, flexible tree, which has long symbolised resilience and gentleness.
Ivy is more popular than Willow today: about 5,117 US babies were given the name Ivy in 2025, compared with 4,763 named Willow.
Ivy means Ivy plant; fidelity (English origin), while Willow means Willow tree; grace (English origin).
In US records, Ivy first appears in 1880 and Willow in 1890, so Ivy has the longer recorded history.