Girl · #10 in 2026

Ava

Ava is an English feminine given name.

  • English
  • Persian
  • German
  • Germanic
Current Rank
#10
Peak Rank
#3 (2007)
Total Babies
352K
5-Yr Trend
-37%
1880
First Year
2026
Last Year
2007
Peak Year
#3
Peak Rank
352K
Total Count
147
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Ava

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Ava is an English feminine given name.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

  • English
  • Persian
  • German
  • Germanic
Origin & history
The name originates from the 8th and 9th centuries during the Middle Ages as an abbreviation of Germanic names containing the element aw- , which is of uncertain meaning. Old High German compound dithematic names with the element include Avagisa, Avuldis, Awanpurc, and Auwanildis. The Oxford Dictionary of First Names supports the Germanic origin of Ava and additionally attributes Avis and Eva as derivatives that share the av ‑ element. The dictionary also supposes that the name Aveline , source of the Irish names Éibhleann and Aibhilín , is a derivative of Ava. The Dictionary of Russian Person

The Story of Ava

Ava first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1880, with 13 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2007: 18,053 births, good for #4 nationwide. The 2010s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 44% of all recorded Avas. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #10 among baby girl names with 7,678 births, falling sharply (-37%). In total, more than 352K Avas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Variants & Related Forms of Ava

Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Ava. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Names that sound like Ava

Phonetically similar names — useful when Ava is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Ava

What does the name Ava mean?
Ava is an English feminine given name.
What is the origin of the name Ava?
Ava has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: English, Persian, German, Germanic.
How popular is Ava in 2026?
In 2026, Ava ranks #10 among girls' names in the U.S., with 7,678 babies given the name that year.
When was Ava most popular?
Ava reached its peak popularity in 2007, ranking #3 that year with 18,053 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Ava most popular?
Ava has historically been most popular in Alabama, Arkansas, District of Columbia. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Ava.
Is Ava a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Ava is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Ava?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Ava include Elizabeth, Margaret, Sarah. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.
What are nicknames or variants of Ava?
Common variants and related forms of Ava include Avah, Aviana, Avianna, Eva, Avelina, Aveza. These cover foreign-language equivalents, alternate spellings, and short forms.

Similar Names

👧
Elizabeth
Peak #3
👧
Margaret
Peak #3
👧
Sarah
Peak #3
👧
Charlotte
Peak #3
👧
Ruth
Peak #3
👧
Amelia
Peak #3
👧
Samantha
Peak #3
👧
Karen
Peak #3

About the name Ava

Ava is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 352K births in the dataset. Ava's peak popularity came in 2007 when it ranked #3. Use the chart and map above to compare Ava's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.