Godiva
Lady Godiva, in Old English Godgifu, was a late Anglo-Saxon noblewoman who is relatively well documented as the wife of Leofric, Earl of Mercia, and a patron of various churches and monasteries.
- Anglo-Saxon
Meaning & Origin of Godiva
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Lady Godiva, in Old English Godgifu, was a late Anglo-Saxon noblewoman who is relatively well documented as the wife of Leofric, Earl of Mercia, and a patron of various churches and monasteries.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Anglo-Saxon
The Story of Godiva
American parents first put Godiva on the record books as a baby girl name in 1958, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1958, when 5 Godivas were born — ranking #6,104 that year. The 1950s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 50% of all recorded Godivas. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2017 (5 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 10 Godivas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1950s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Godiva
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Godiva. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Godgifu
Names that sound like Godiva
Phonetically similar names — useful when Godiva is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Gva
- Cadaver
- Cadavar
- Cadavre
- Kadaver
- Gedda
- Guava
- Gouda
- Godot
- Gaddafi
- Guida
- Goda
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Godiva
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How popular is Godiva in 2026?
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About the name Godiva
Godiva is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1958 and has accumulated 10 births in the dataset. Godiva's peak popularity came in 1958 when it ranked #6,104. Use the chart and map above to compare Godiva's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1958 →
- Names of the 1950s →
- Names starting with "G" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.