unisex name
Alva
- Origin Swedish
- Gender Unisex
- Syllables 2
- Letters 4
- Popularity Rare
- Births on record 20,693
Scotland
#921
2024 births
Alva is a unisex name with 2 syllables. It is given to both girls and boys — about 46% of recorded births with this name are girls. In 2025 it was given to 28 babies in the United States. It is a rare choice.
- Alva is a name of Swedish origin.
- Peaked in 1917, when 478 babies were given the name.
- After peaking in the 1910s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
- Today about 1 in 118,413 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Alva over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 845 |
| 1890s | 1,164 |
| 1900s | 1,179 |
| 1910s | 3,382 |
| 1920s | 4,142 |
| 1930s | 2,866 |
| 1940s | 2,091 |
| 1950s | 1,514 |
| 1960s | 998 |
| 1970s | 608 |
| 1980s | 437 |
| 1990s | 261 |
| 2000s | 184 |
| 2010s | 262 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 225 |
How popular is Alva?
In 2025, Alva was given to 28 babies in the United States. It is a rare choice.
Where Alva is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Alva
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Alva also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Alva over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Alva in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Alva
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Alva — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Alva
How popular is the name Alva?
In 2025, Alva was given to 28 babies in the United States. It is a rare choice.
Is Alva a girl's or a boy's name?
Alva is used for both girls and boys. About 46% of recorded births with this name are girls.
How many syllables are in Alva?
Alva has 2 syllables.
When was Alva most popular?
Alva peaked in 1917, when 478 babies were given the name. After peaking in the 1910s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
Is Alva a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Alva currently ranks #921 in the United States. After peaking in the 1910s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.