Voters have chosen the name Ivy for the newborn giraffe at Como Park Zoo and Conservatory from a list of three flowery choices.

The St. Paul zoo had asked the public to weigh in on a name for the new arrival and 17,000 people did. Ivy was the choice of about 45% of people who voted, with Dahlia in second place.

The new baby female giraffe was tucked under her mother Zinnia’s body, as she made her first public appearance at Como Zoo November 13 ,2023 in, St. Paul , Minn.
Jerry Holt, Star Tribune
The new baby female giraffe was tucked under her mother Zinnia’s body, as she made her first public appearance at Como Zoo November 13 ,2023 in, St. Paul , Minn.

The 6-foot-tall baby, born Nov. 6, weighed in at 132 pounds and was standing by her mother, Zinnia, within an hour of her birth, according to the St. Paul zoo.

The zoo turned to the public for help naming the baby giraffe, with a poll offering three choices; the third option was Aster. Zookeepers chose the three names in keeping with the flower and plant theme, since both Zinnia and Clover, another female giraffe at the zoo, fit that theme.

The zoo also recently lost Daisy, a female giraffe and longtime resident, and wanted to honor her with a botanical name.

The zoo revealed the name in time for Give to the Max Day on Thursday.

The name Ivy is increasingly popular for human babies. In 2022 it moved up seven spots to become the 42nd most popular name for girls, compared to to 49th in 2021, according to the Social Security Administration.