Given name & surname · also German
Ava
Ava is a name with an uncertain early history and a prominent twentieth-century revival or re-creation.
Meaning & origin
What it means
A secure original meaning for Ava has not been established.
Where it comes from
A possible Germanic origin connects Ava with names containing the element av, but the derivation is uncertain.
How it developed
It may preserve a shortened Germanic compound name, or the modern form may have arisen independently.
The story
A ninth-century abbess was known as Ava or Avia. The link between that early use and the modern name is unclear; actress Ava Gardner later helped bring it wider attention.
Ava through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 344,441
- 344 boys · 344,097 girls
- Most popular year
- 2007
- 18,065 babies
- 2025
- 7,739
- #11 for girls · #9,807 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −33%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 7,732 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 11 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 33.3% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 18,053 in 2007. It also appeared in 7 birth records for boys in 2025. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (742). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 257,513 as a first name in 2020; 180 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Ava’s family of names
In English usage, Ava has a later derivative in AAVA. In English usage, Ava has a related form in Eva. Ava has a related form in Avis.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Ava has relatives in 3 languages. Lines run from its German roots to each of them.
3 related names in 3 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 25
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 5
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Ava
- Ava GardnerAmerican actress (1922–1990)
- Ava DuVernayAmerican film directorborn 1972
- Avafirst known German poet1060–1127
- Ava MichelleAmerican actress (born 2002)
- Ava AcresAmerican actressborn 2004
- Ava KolkerAmerican actressborn 2006
- Ava LeighBritish singerborn 1985
- Ava Alice Muriel Astorheiress and socialite1902–1956
- Ava CherryAmerican singerborn 1953
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Ava, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Anya
“a woman graced with God's favor”
>99% girls
Ella
“from a foreign land”
>99% girls
Emma
Emma began as a short form of longer Germanic names and has a meaning associated with wholeness.
>99% girls
Avery
“one who is a wise ruler; of the nobility”
20% boys · 80% girls
Aubrey
“one who rules with elfwisdom”
3% boys · 97% girls
Riley
“from the rye clearing; a courageous woman”
22% boys · 78% girls
Adaline
“of the nobility; serene; of good humor”
>99% girls
Chloe
“a flourishing woman; blooming”
>99% girls