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Girl · Germanic or Hebrew (disputed)
Ava
Say it: AY-vuh
Meaning
Uncertain. It may come from a Germanic name element of unknown meaning (as in Saint Ava, a 9th-century abbess) or be a form of Eve. Popular claims that it means 'bird' (Latin avis) or 'life' are not supported.
Uncertainseveral explanations, none settled.
Rare until the mid-20th century, it rose quickly in the 2000s and was one of the top American girls' names by 2010.
Its wave through time
A revival, back after decades away
In the United States
- 293,852 babies given this name since 1880
- At its height in 2007, about 1 in 106 girls
- 13,095 babies in 2020
Through the ages
Used by
The family of the name
Other spellings: Avah
| German | Ava |
|---|---|
| Italian | Ava |
Famous bearers
- Ava Gardner, US actress
Names worth a look
Where this comes from
- Lives of the saints and early Christian martyrologies
- United States Social Security birth records, 1880 to today source
- United States Social Security birth records, 1880 to today source
Meanings and histories are compiled from the study of names and their languages and checked by a second review.
Meanings and histories are drawn from the study of names and their languages, each with a confidence rating; popularity figures come from official birth records. Name histories are a living field: if you know of a correction, we would be glad to hear it.