Iwona

Share
© Depositphotos

Fact sheet

Name
Iwona
Gender
Girl name
Syllables
3

The first name Iwona is the Polish variant of Yvonne, which is the female form of the French Yvon. This name has its roots in the medieval name Ivo and is of both Germanic and Celtic origin. The meaning of the name is "the yew tree."

What does the name Iwona mean?

Iwona is the Polish form of Yvonne, which in turn is the female counterpart of the French Yvon, derived from the ancient name Ivo. The name has both Germanic and Celtic origins and means "the yew tree." In a looser interpretation, Iwona is often understood as "the archer," as bows were traditionally made from yew wood. In Poland, the girl's name Iwona is very common and was especially popular during the 1960s to 1980s. A diminutive form is Iwonka, while Iwo is the male Polish variant. Other spellings and variants of Yvonne include Iva, Ivenna, Iveta, Ivete, Ivett, Ivette, Ivon, Ivona, Ivoni, Ivonna, Ivonne, Yve, Yvetta, Yvette, Yvona, Yvone, Yvonn, Yvonna, and Yvy.

Where does the name Iwona come from?

The name Iwona has its roots as the female form of Ivo in the Old High German term īwa and the Proto-Germanic word *īwaz, which means "yew" (a type of tree). These terms are also related to the Celtic word ivo and the Proto-Celtic *ivos. In Old Germanic and Old High German, īwa also means "yew." The linguistic origins are thus: Germanic: *īwaz = yew (Proto-Germanic), īwa = yew (Old High German); Celtic: *ivos = yew (Proto-Celtic), ivo = yew (Celtic). The language is Polish.

How do you pronounce Iwona?

Iwona is pronounced approximately as 'Ih-wona'.

When is the name day of Iwona?

The name days for Iwona are celebrated on April 24, May 19, and December 23.

Popularity

In Germany, Iwona is a rather rare first name. In 2023, it ranked 5,633rd on the list of most common female first names. Its highest ranking was in 2008 at 1,636th place. Over the last ten years, Iwona has been chosen about 20 times as a first name, placing it at 5,571st in the ten-year statistics. Between 2010 and 2024, it ranks 4,707th.

Nicknames & pet names

Iwcia / Iwi / Iwo / Iwoneczka / Iwonka / Iwus / Iwuś / Nona

Famous people

  • Iwona Blaszkowska (Polish handball player)
  • Iwona Chmielewska (Polish writer)
  • Iwona Daniluk (biathlete from Poland)
  • Iwona Grzywa (Polish biathlete)
  • Iwona Matkowska (Polish wrestler)
  • Iwona Niedzwiedz (Polish handball player)
  • Iwona Sobotka (Polish singer)
  • Iwona Wegrowska (singer from Poland)

Frequently asked questions about the name Iwona

What is the meaning of the name Iwona?

Iwona is the Polish form of Yvonne, which has its origin in the French Yvon. The name is derived from Ivo and means 'the yew tree.' Additionally, Iwona is often interpreted as 'the archer,' as bows are traditionally made from yew wood.

Where does the name Iwona come from?

Iwona has Germanic and Celtic roots. The name is derived from the Old High German term īwa and the Proto-Germanic word *īwaz, both meaning 'yew.' It is also related to the Celtic word ivo.

How popular is the name Iwona?

In Poland, Iwona is a very common girl's name that enjoyed great popularity, especially during the 1960s to 1980s. Variations and diminutive forms like Iwonka are also known.

Cookie settings

We use cookies to run this website and to show personalised advertising via Google AdSense. Necessary cookies are required for the site to work. Marketing cookies allow us to show relevant ads. You can change your choice at any time. Learn more