What they share
Both are nature names with a clean, understated beauty. Both are short enough to sit lightly and pair easily with longer middle names. Both have climbed steadily over the last decade without becoming saturated.
Pick Iris if…
Pick Iris if you want the more literary, mythic option. Iris is the Greek goddess of the rainbow and also the name of a richly coloured flower. It carries a soft, classical warmth and has a slightly more artistic feel than Ivy.
Pick Ivy if…
Pick Ivy if you want the crisper, more contemporary option. Ivy is a simple botanical name with a quiet strength to it. The final consonant gives it a grounded, almost mineral quality that Iris softens.
Iris is the more painterly of the two; Ivy the more sculptural. Both are excellent names and neither is overused. If you love both, try pairing each with your surname and middle name to see which cadence settles more naturally.