Ivor is an English masculine given name derived either directly from Norse ''Ívarr'', or through Welsh (which spells it ''Ifor'') or Irish and

Scottish Gaelic Scottish Gaelic (, ; Endonym and exonym, endonym: ), also known as Scots Gaelic or simply Gaelic, is a Celtic language native to the Gaels of Scotland. As a member of the Goidelic language, Goidelic branch of Celtic, Scottish Gaelic, alongs ...

(which spell it ''Íomhar''), all of which likely derive it also from the original Norse form.The Oxford Dictionary of Christian Names (1947) by E. G. Withycombe The Norse name is derived from the Old Norse elements (yew, bow) and (warrior, army): hence, 'archer, bow warrior'. It is possible the old Norse name ''Ívarr'' comes from the Celtic root and may be related to the Celtic root of ''-iv'' which is found in ''St. Ives'' for example, itself possibly referring to yew. This could indicate an earlier shared language origin; potentially through

Indo-European The Indo-European languages are a language family native to the northern Indian subcontinent, most of Europe, and the Iranian plateau with additional native branches found in regions such as Sri Lanka, the Maldives, parts of Central Asia (e. ...

, previous contact or another source. Some of the earliest known bearers of the name are

Ibar of Beggerin Ibar may refer to: People * Ibar of Beggerin (died 500), Irish saint * Íbar of Killibar Beg, Irish saint * Hilmi Ibar (born 1947), Kosovar academic * José Ibar (born 1969), Cuban baseball player Places * Ibar District, a division of the Serbia ...

, an Irish saint who may have preceded or been contemporary with St. Patrick and probably died in the 500s;

Ivar the Boneless Ivar the Boneless ( ; died ), also known as Ivar Ragnarsson, was a Viking leader who invaded England and Ireland. According to the '' Tale of Ragnar Lodbrok'', he was the son of Aslaug and her husband Ragnar Loðbrok, and was the brother of ...

, an 800s Viking who was possibly identical to the ''Ímair'' attested in Irish and Scottish annals; and Ifor Bach, a Welsh leader of the 1100s.

People

Religious

Íbar of Killibar Beg Íbar is the name of a very obscure early Irish saint, after whom Killibar Beg – noted in the Episcopal Rental of Clonfert, – in County Galway is named. The original form would have been ''Cill Íbar'' ('the church of Íbar'). Killibar Beg ...

, an early Irish saint related to

Academics

* Ivor Agyeman-Duah (born 1966), Ghanaian academic, economist and writer *

Ivor Grattan-Guinness Ivor Owen Grattan-Guinness (23 June 1941 – 12 December 2014) was a historian of mathematics and logic. Life Grattan-Guinness was born in Bakewell, England; his father was a mathematics teacher and educational administrator. He gained his ...

, British historian of mathematics and logic * Ivor van Heerden, South African-born American meteorologist *

Ivor Jennings Sir William Ivor Jennings () (16 May 1903 – 19 December 1965) was a British lawyer and academic. He served as the Chancellor (education), vice chancellor of the University of Cambridge (1961–63) and the University of Ceylon (1942–55). E ...

(1903–1965), British lawyer and constitutional scholar * Ivor G. Wilks (1928–2014), British Africanist and historian

Arts and entertainment

* Ivor Barnard (1887–1953), English actor *

Ivor Cutler Ivor Cutler (born Isadore Cutler, 15 January 1923 – 3 March 2006) was a Scottish poet, singer, musician, songwriter, artist and humorist. He became known for his regular performances on BBC radio, and in particular his numerous sessions recor ...

(1923–2006), Scottish poet, songwriter and humorist * Iva Davies, lead singer of Icehouse * Ivor Davies (artist) (born 1935), Welsh painter * Ivor Darreg (1917–1994), American composer *

Ivor Dean Ivor Donald Dean (21 December 1917 – 10 August 1974) was a British stage, film and television actor. Biography With his lugubrious demeanour he was often cast as world-weary police officers or butlers, and it is for the role of Chief Inspecto ...

(1917–1974), British actor *

Ivor Dennis Kala Keerthi Pasquel Ge Don Augustine Ivor Dennis () (28 May 1932 – 18 June 2018) was a popular Sri Lankan veteran playback singer who was also known as the former student of veteran icon Sunil Santha. He was well known for establishing ...

(1932–2018), Sri Lankan Sinhala playback vocalist *

Ivor Emmanuel Ivor Lewis Emmanuel (7 November 1927 – 20 July 2007) was a Welsh musical theatre and television singer and actor. He is probably best remembered, however, for his appearance as "Private Owen" in the 1964 film '' Zulu'', in which his chara ...

(1927–2007), British opera singer *

Ivor Francis Ivor Francis (October 26, 1918 – October 22, 1986) was a Canadian-American character actor and acting teacher. He is the father of television soap opera actress Genie Francis. Life and career Francis was born in Toronto and began his acting c ...

(1918–1986), Canadian-born American actor *

Ivor Gurney Ivor Bertie Gurney (28 August 1890 – 26 December 1937) was an English poet and composer, particularly of songs. He was born and raised in Gloucester. He suffered from bipolar disorder through much of his life and spent his last 15 years in psy ...

(1890–1937), English composer and poet *

Ivor Hele Sir Ivor Henry Thomas Hele, CBE (13 June 1912 – 1 December 1993) was an Australian artist noted for portraiture. He was Australia's longest serving war artist and completed more commissioned works than anyone else in the history of Aust ...

(1912–1993), Australian painter *

Ivor James Ivor James CBE (1882–1963)Percy A. Scholes. "James, Ivor". ''Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music''. Oxford University Press, 1964. was a British cellist. He taught for many years at the Royal College of Music; among his pupils were those who becam ...

(1882–1963), British cellist *

Ivor Mairants Ivor Mairants (18 July 1908 – 20 February 1998) was a Polish jazz and classical guitarist, teacher and composer. With his wife Lily Schneider in 1958 he created the Ivor Mairants Musicentre, a specialist guitar store in London. Early years ...

(1908–1998), British-Polish guitarist * Ivor Moreton (1908–1984), British singer and pianist *

Ivor Novello Ivor Novello (born David Ivor Davies; 15 January 1893 – 6 March 1951) was a Welsh actor, dramatist, singer and composer who became one of the most popular British entertainers of the first half of the 20th century. He was born into a musical ...

(1893–1951), Welsh entertainer *

Ivor Roberts (actor) Ivor Roberts (19 July 1925 – 5 September 1999) was a British actor and a television continuity announcer who often appeared in comedic roles. Born in Nottingham, he returned to acting following service in the Royal Navy during the Second World ...

(1925–1999), British actor and television presenter *

Ivor Wood Ivor Sydney Wood (4 May 1932 – 14 October 2004) was a British-French' animator, director, producer and writer. He was known for his work on children's television series. Born in Leeds to an English father and a French mother, his family move ...

(1932–2004), British stop-motion animator * Ivor Biggun, stage name of British musician Doc Cox

Nobility

Lord Ivor Spencer-Churchill Lord Ivor Charles Spencer-Churchill (14 October 1898 – 17 September 1956) was a British aristocrat, soldier, and art collector. He was the younger son of the 9th Duke of Marlborough and his first wife, the former Consuelo Vanderbilt, an Ameri ...

(1898–1956), British art collector

Politicians and diplomats

Ivor Callely Ivor Callely (born 6 May 1958) is an Irish former politician who served as a Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin North-Central constituency from 1989 to 2007 and a member of Seanad Éireann from 2007 to 2011, having been nominated b ...

(born 1958), Irish politician * Ivor Caplin (born 1958), British politician * Ivor Cummings (1913 – 1992), British civil servant and colonial administrator *

Ivor Guest, 1st Viscount Wimborne Ivor Churchill Guest, 1st Viscount Wimborne, KP, PC (16 January 1873 – 14 June 1939), known as Lord Ashby St Ledgers from 1910 to 1914 and as Lord Wimborne from 1914 to 1918, was a British politician and one of the last Lords Lieutenant of ...

(1873–1939), British politician *

Ivor Guest, 1st Baron Wimborne Ivor Bertie Guest, 1st Baron Wimborne, 2nd Baronet, DL (29 August 1835 – 22 February 1914) was a British industrialist and a member of the prominent Guest family. Early life Ivor Bertie Guest was born at Dowlais, near Merthyr Tydfil, the so ...

(1835–1914), Welsh industrialist, father of the above *

Ivor Richard, Baron Richard Ivor Seward Richard, Baron Richard, (30 May 1932 – 18 March 2018) was a British Labour politician who served as a member of Parliament (MP) from 1964 until 1974. He was also a member of the European Commission and latterly sat as a life pee ...

(1932–2018), British politician * Ivor Roberts (diplomat) (born 1946), British diplomat

Sportsmen

Ivor Allchurch Ivor John Allchurch (16 October 1929 – 10 July 1997) was a Welsh professional association football, footballer who played as an inside forward. Known as the "Golden Boy of Welsh football", Allchurch began his career playing for his hometown ...

(1929–1997), Wales international footballer * Ivan

Ivor Broadis Ivan Arthur "Ivor" Broadis (18 December 1922 – 12 April 2019) was an English professional footballer. During a career spanning nineteen years from 1942 to 1961, Broadis represented Carlisle United, Sunderland, Manchester City, Newcastle Unite ...

(1922–2019), England international footballer *

Ivor Bueb Ivor Léon John Bueb (; 6 June 1923 – 1 August 1959) was a British professional sports car racing and Formula One driver from England. Early life Ivor Léon John Bueb was born to Leon Gervase Bueb and Grace Marie Alice Vagnolini in East Ha ...

(1923–1959), British Formula One driver * Ivor Jones (1901–1982), Welsh rugby union player * Ivor McIvor (1917–1997), Australian rules footballer and captain-coach.

Fictional characters

* the title character of ''

Ivor the Engine ''Ivor the Engine'' is a British cutout animation television series created by Oliver Postgate and Peter Firmin's Smallfilms company. It follows the adventures of a small green steam locomotive who lives in the "top left-hand corner of Wales ...

'', an animated British TV series * one of the characters in

the Who The Who are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup (1964–1978) consisted of lead vocalist Roger Daltrey, guitarist Pete Townshend, bassist John Entwistle and drummer Keith Moon. Considered one of th ...

song "

A Quick One, While He's Away "A Quick One, While He's Away" is a 1966 song written by Pete Townshend and recorded by the Who for their second album ''A Quick One''. The song also appears on the album ''BBC Sessions (The Who), BBC Sessions''. In the performance on their ''L ...

" * one of the title characters of '' Ivor Lott and Tony Broke'', a British comic strip * a main character in the video game '' Minecraft Story Mode'' * a character in the comedy duo act Damo and Ivor

References

{{given name Masculine given names English masculine given names