Unusable here in South Africa, because what the rest of the English-speaking world knows as a barbeque we call a braai, which sounds far too close to Briar!
In general, I wouldn't use it for either. Like Ivy, it's a really annoying plant! Also, I imagine it would lead to a lifetime of explanations that, no, it wasn't Brian (m) or Bryony (f). Tedious.