Ava Name Meaning, Origin, Popularity & Inspiration

Updated August 7, 2024

Table of contents

Girl name origins & meanings

Latin : Blooming
Latin: Birdlike
Hebrew: Life

What does Ava Mean and Stand for?

Ava is a name that dates back to medieval times with Germanic origins. It is an abbreviation of a Germanic name containing the first element aw-, of uncertain meaning. It also has Latin and Hebrew roots, meaning life. The Oxford Dictionary of First Names deems it as a "new" name, presumably as a variant of Eva. It is also believed to be a variant of Eve. Ava is also a name in the Persian language meaning "voice or sound." Voice and sound are fitting associations for a little girl named Ava because the name can also be interpreted as meaning "baby bird."

In Biblical times, Saint Ava was the daughter of King Pepin II of Aquitaine, and that she was cured of blindness by Saint Rainfredis before becoming a Benedictine nun in what is now Belgium. Saint Ava's day is celebrated on April 29th.

In more modern times, Ava is a unique name for a glamorous baby girl name with connections to many famous figures in Hollywood, including actress Ava Gardner and American film director Ava Marie Duvernay. Ava is predominantly a girl's name, with 99.89% of Avas being girls. However, 0.11% of Avas in 2020 were boys.

Syllables: 2

Girl name variations

How Popular Is The Name Ava

Famous people who gave their babies this name

Popularity of the Name Ava

According to Social Security Administration data, Ava has skyrocketed in popularity, rising from 180 in 2000 to staying in the top 10 most popular girl names every year since 2005! Ava was the 7th most popular baby girl name of the year in 2023.

However, it is the 56th most popular name on FamilyEducation.com.

According to Google search data analysis, in the last five years, Ava was at its peak in popularity in 2020 and 2021 when it held the third most popular name spot for girls.

Ava first rose to popularity in the early 1900s with socialite Ava Lowle Willing and her daughter, Ava Alice Muriel Astor. Today it is more popular than ever thanks to stars who have chosen their baby name for their daughters, like Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe and Heather Locklear, and Richard Sambora. Witherspoon and Phillippe are said to have named their daughter after American actress and singer, Ava Gardner. While Ava is not typically considered a unisex name, a similar baby name for boys or girls is Avery: an Old English name with Germanic roots meaning "ruler of the elves."