Boy · #10,889 in 2026

Ilex

Ilex or holly is a genus of over 570 species of flowering plants in the family Aquifoliaceae, and the only living genus in that family. Ilex has the most species of any woody dioecious angiosperm genus. The species are evergreen or deciduous trees, shrubs, and climbers from tropics to temperate zones worldwide.

Current Rank
#10,889
Peak Rank
#10,889 (2024)
Total Babies
6
5-Yr Trend
Stable
2024
First Year
2024
Last Year
2024
Peak Year
#10889
Peak Rank
6
Total Count
1
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Ilex

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Ilex or holly is a genus of over 570 species of flowering plants in the family Aquifoliaceae, and the only living genus in that family. Ilex has the most species of any woody dioecious angiosperm genus. The species are evergreen or deciduous trees, shrubs, and climbers from tropics to temperate zones worldwide.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Etymology
Ilex in Latin means the holm-oak or evergreen oak ( Quercus ilex ). Despite the Linnaean classification of Ilex as holly, as late as the 19th century in Britain, the term Ilex was still being applied to the oak as well as the holly – possibly due to the superficial similarity of the leaves. The name "holly" in common speech refers to Ilex aquifolium , specifically stems with berries used in Christmas decoration. By extension, "holly" is also applied to the whole genus. The origin of the word "holly" is considered a reduced form of Old English hole(ġ)n , Middle English Holin , later Hollen . Th
Origin & history
Hollies (here, Ilex aquifolium ) are dioecious: (above) shoot with flowers from male plant; (top right) male flower enlarged from female plant; (lower right) female flower enlarged, showing ovary and reduced, sterile stamens with no pollen. The phylogeography of this group provides examples of various speciation mechanisms at work. In this scenario ancestors of this group became isolated from the remaining Ilex when the Earth mass broke away into Gondwana and Laurasia about 82 million years ago, resulting in a physical separation of the groups and beginning a process of change to adapt to new

The Story of Ilex

Ilex first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 2024, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2024, when 6 Ilexs were born — ranking #10,889 that year. As of 2026, Ilex ranks #10,889 for baby boys with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 6 Ilexs have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2020s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

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Top 10
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No data

Names that sound like Ilex

Phonetically similar names — useful when Ilex is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Ilex

What does the name Ilex mean?
Ilex or holly is a genus of over 570 species of flowering plants in the family Aquifoliaceae, and the only living genus in that family. Ilex has the most species of any woody dioecious angiosperm genus. The species are evergreen or deciduous trees, shrubs, and climbers from tropics to temperate zones worldwide.
How popular is Ilex in 2026?
In 2026, Ilex ranks #10,889 among boys' names in the U.S., with 6 babies given the name that year.
When was Ilex most popular?
Ilex reached its peak popularity in 2024, ranking #10,889 that year with 6 babies given the name.
Is Ilex a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Ilex is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Ilex?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Ilex include Swift, Caruso, Azizi. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

👦
Swift
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Caruso
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Azizi
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👦
Adeem
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👦
Gator
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👦
Yacouba
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👦
Wadley
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Kashi
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About the name Ilex

Ilex is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2024 and has accumulated 6 births in the dataset. Ilex's peak popularity came in 2024 when it ranked #10,889. Use the chart and map above to compare Ilex's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.