Ivy

Ivy

See also: ivy and -ivý

English

Etymology 1

From ivy, the name of a plant. An ivy branch used to be hung outside an establishment to advertise that it sold alcohol, so it may originally been an occupationational surname for the proprietor of such an establishment.

Proper noun

Ivy (plural Ivys or Ivies)

1. A female given name from English; popular in the UK in the beginning of the 20th century.
   • 1882 Something to Read. (Edited by) Edwin John Bret: Something to read novelette. page 254:

     Little Ivy's life, as the months pass on, is a quiet, uneventful one, but exceedingly happy withal: - - - "You have a strange name, my dear," the old lady says one day, and the child answers in her serious, old-fashioned way, "Yes, so everyone has always said. You know my mamma died when I was born, and papa named me that because he said that I came when his heart was all aching with sorrow, and twined around it and comforted him."

   • 1974, Patrick White, The Cockatoos: Shorter Novels and Stories., Cape, →ISBN, page 204:

     Kind people apply all the milder words to your face; only Father ever called it ugly. Ugly Ivy mingy as her name. Father himself was handsome and drunken. Mother had wanted 'Ivy' simple and yet pretty and for once stuck to her guns. You wished she hadn't.

2. A surname.

Derived terms

• Ive

 

Etymology 2

Ellipsis of Ivy League..

Noun

Ivy (plural Ivies)

1. (informal) A university that is part of the Ivy League.

Etymology 3

Ive +‎ -y

Proper noun

Ivy

1. Diminutive of Ive

See also

• Ivey
• Ivie

 

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Cebuano

Etymology

From English Ivy, from ivy.

Proper noun

Ivy

1. a female given name from English

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Tagalog

Etymology

From English Ivy, from ivy.

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: i‧vy

Proper noun

Ivy

1. a female given name from English