girl's name
Ava
AY-vuh
- Origin uncertain (Latin, Germanic, or Hebrew)
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 2
- Letters 3
- Popularity Top 100 (US)
- Births on record 456,894
the United States
#11
2025 births
Ava is a girl's name with several proposed origins rather than one settled root. It may derive from the Latin avis, meaning "bird," from a medieval Germanic name recorded as early as the eighth century, or as a short form of Eve, from the Hebrew Chavah, meaning "life."
- Ava is a name of uncertain (Latin, Germanic, or Hebrew) origin.
- Peaked in 2007, when 18,065 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 428 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Ava 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 | 279 |
| 1890s | 479 |
| 1900s | 533 |
| 1910s | 1,401 |
| 1920s | 1,601 |
| 1930s | 1,180 |
| 1940s | 1,346 |
| 1950s | 4,237 |
| 1960s | 2,342 |
| 1970s | 1,319 |
| 1980s | 1,416 |
| 1990s | 4,207 |
| 2000s | 104,692 |
| 2010s | 156,018 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 63,391 |
What Ava means
Ava's meaning depends on which origin theory you follow: "bird" if traced to the Latin avis, or "life" if treated as a variant of Eve. Because no single derivation has been firmly established, most reference sources present multiple possible meanings rather than one definitive answer.
Where Ava comes from
Ava is one of the more genuinely disputed name etymologies in common use. One theory connects it to the Latin avis, meaning bird. Another traces it to a Germanic name recorded in documents from the eighth and ninth centuries, related to the same root that produced Aveline and, later, Evelyn. A third treats Ava simply as a short form of Eve, from the Hebrew Chavah, meaning "life," pointing to the Book of Genesis. Because these three theories point in different directions and no medieval record settles the question, name scholars generally present Ava's origin as uncertain rather than commit to a single explanation.
How popular is Ava?
In 2025, Ava was given to 7,739 babies in the United States, ranking #11 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Where Ava 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 Ava
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Ava also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Ava over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Ava 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.
- Latin
- Avita
Sibling names for Ava
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Ava — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Ava
What does the name Ava mean?
Ava's meaning isn't settled — depending on its origin, it may mean "bird" (Latin), or "life" if treated as a form of Eve (Hebrew).
Is Ava a form of Eve?
It's sometimes treated that way, though Ava may also come from a separate Germanic or Latin root — its origin is genuinely disputed.
How old is the name Ava?
A Germanic form of the name appears in records from the eighth and ninth centuries, making it older than it feels.
How popular is the name Ava?
In 2025, Ava was given to 7,739 babies in the United States, ranking #11 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Is Ava a girl's or a boy's name?
Ava is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Ava?
Ava has 2 syllables.
When was Ava most popular?
Ava peaked in 2007, when 18,065 babies were given the name. Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
Is Ava a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Ava currently ranks #10 in the United States. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.