Ivar

Ivar is a male given name of Old Norse origin, common in the Nordic countries. The Icelandic form is Ívar; Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish usage is widespread, while in Finland it occurs mainly among Swedish-speaking communities.

The name derives from the Old Norse Ívarr. It has long been used as a standalone given name and has several regional variants, including Ivar, Iver, and Ívarr in Icelandic contexts. Its continued popularity reflects Nordic naming traditions and historical associations with early medieval Scandinavia.

Notable people named Ivar include Ivar Kreuger (1863–1932), a Swedish industrialist known as the “Match King”; Ivar Aasen (1813–1896), a Norwegian linguist who developed the written Norwegian language Nynorsk; Ivar Haglund (1909–1985), a Norwegian-American restaurateur and founder of Ivar’s seafood restaurants; Ivar Jacobson (born 1939), a Swedish software engineer and co-author of the UML; and the legendary Viking leader Ivar the Boneless, associated with the Great Heathen Army in the 9th century.

The name continues to be used in Nordic countries and among diaspora communities, where it often carries cultural or historical associations.