ava

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Origin, Meaning, And History Of Ava

Ava is a medieval name of Germanic origin. The name is believed to have its roots in the Germanic word aval, meaning “guarantee.” Ava has a unique appeal, making it a favorite choice for millennial couples.

The name is considered the diminutive of several medieval German names beginning with the element av, which means “desire.” This graceful name could well have originated from the Hebrew havva, which refers to “life,” and avis in Latin, which means “bird, birdlike.” The name also means “voice or sound” in Persian and Urdu. Ava could also be a place name as it was the ancient capital of Myanmar and a city in Missouri.

There are multiple spellings for Ava across languages and cultures. The moniker is spelled Eva and Aviah in Hebrew, Evie in English, Eve in Latin, and Avalon in Celtic. Ava is almost always used as a girl’s name. Some other variations of this name include Aiva, Eabha, Avis, Aveline, Avelyn, Avalinka, Avalynn, Avis, Eveline, Avina, Avelina, and Avisa.

According to the Social Security Administration data, Ava is the fifth most popular girl name in the US (1). It emerged as a popular girl’s name in the 1950s, thanks to the success of the stunning actress Ava Gardner. The name’s popularity dropped in the mid-1970s and fell off the Social Security Administration ‘s list of popular baby names but began to blossom again in the late ’90s.

The name jumped over 300 spots between 1997 and 1998, likely after celebrities Heather Locklear and Reese Witherspoon named their daughters Ava in 1997 and 1999, respectively. From there, the name has seen a sudden spurt in its popularity. Ava reached top-ten status on the Social Security Administration’s list in 2005 and has been in the top five baby names for American girls ever since. The name reached its best ranking in 2016 and became the third most popular name in the US. Apart from the US, the moniker is also popular in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, and Scotland.

Ava

Meaning Guarantee

Gender Girl

Origin German, Persian, Hebrew, Latin

Lucky Number 6

Syllables Two

Length 1 word, 3 letters, 2 vowels, 1 consonant

Type Short and easy to pronounce

How To Pronounce Ava?

Ava On The Popularity Chart

This short name has caught the fancy of generations of parents. Ava is at a higher point in popularity with many parents and celebrities choosing the name for their children.

Popularity Over Time

Less than 1000 parents chose this name for their babies in the 1980s and 90s. The name’s popularity started to look up in the 2000s and reached its highest popularity in 2007 with over 18000 parents naming their children Ava.

Rank Over Time

Ava started to make strides in the ranking in the 1980s and has grown in popularity since then. The name entered the list of the top ten baby names in the US since the 2000s and maintained its ranking in the subsequent years.

Names With Similar Sound As Ava

If you loved the name Ava, you will also like the similar sounding names listed below. Take a look!

Aafreen Aeva Avah Avalee Aveen Avia Aviana Aviance Avianna Avlynn

Popular Sibling Names For Ava

If you are looking for some matching sibling names that resonate with Ava, check our suggestions here.

Boy Sibling Names For Ava

Find matching brother names for Ava and create a wonderful team of siblings.

Affonso Africanus Afrin Afsar Aftaab Aftab Aver Avi Avian Avidan

Girl Sibling Names For Ava

Looking for some suitable sister names for Ava? Check out our collection of beautiful and unique names.

Aafreen Aeva Affery Afhak Afina Afri Afsaneh Afsarara Afshaneh Avah

Other Popular Names Beginning With A

Looking for more baby names starting with the letter A to resonate with your family’s naming tradition or to rhyme with the sibling names? Find a range of alternative names starting with this letter.

Aada Aadelheide Aadina Aafreen Aailayah Aalis Aaliyah Abagail Abaigael Abana

Names With Same Meaning As Ava

Looking for more names that have similar meaning as Ava? Here’s our list of names with the same meaning that you can consider for your baby.

Aabha Aafia Aafiyah Ab Abai Abby Abh Abia Abiha Abiya

Infographic: Know The Name Ava‘s Personality As Per Numerology

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How To Communicate The Name Ava In Other Languages

In Nautical Flags

ava

In Sign Language

ava

In Braille Alphabet

ava

In Morse Code

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Name Numerology For Ava

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is Ava a vintage name?

Ava was a popular name in the 1950s and 1960s in the US. Thus, it can be considered a vintage or old-fashioned name, which is still popular among parents.

2. What is Ava short for?

Ava is a standalone name. But some use it as a nickname for Avelyn or Evelyn.

3. What are the middle names for Ava?

Ava is a German name that means ‘bird,’ ‘sound,’ or ‘desire.’ While selecting a middle name for Ava, you might want to consider names with similar meanings, such as Aderyn, Echo, or Faigel. You could also consider German names such as Ada, meaning ‘noble,’ Barbara, meaning ‘foreign,’ or Beata meaning ‘blessed.’

4. Is Ava a Unisex Name?

Ava is primarily regarded as a feminine name rather than a unisex name. It is predominantly used for women. According to the SSA, Ava, as a girl’s name, has consistently ranked in the top 100 baby names in the US since 2002 (1).

5. Are there any famous fictional characters named Ava?

Ava has made appearances in various forms of popular media through fictional characters. These include Ava Benton from the soap opera All My Children, Ava Peralta from the soap opera Guiding Light, Ava the Sunset Fairy from the Rainbow Magic book series, Ava Paige from The Maze Runner book and film series, and Ava Ayala, a Marvel Comics character.

6. Is Ava a timeless and classic name or more of a modern choice?

Ava has a rich history and is a variant of Eve. Thus, it has a sense of timelessness and a modern appeal. Ava experienced a resurgence in popularity during the early 2000s and has remained a popular choice in recent years. According to SSA, 11039 baby girls shared the name in the US in 2022 (1).

Look Up For Many More Names

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References:

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1. Popularity of name Ava.
   https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/

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Akshay NairMA

Akshay is an associate editor and former journalist with more than four years of experience. A post graduate in Mass Communication and Journalism, he has strong professional and academic background in the field of content writing and editing. He is also a Certified Relationship Workshop Facilitator for Life Coaches. Akshay interned and worked with various newspapers and the Public Relations...more