Given name & surname
Chava
“a lively woman; giver of life”
Chava is a variant of Chaba. In Hebrew use, Chaba carries the interpretation “a lively woman; giver of life.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Chava is a variant of Chaba. In Hebrew use, Chaba carries the interpretation “a lively woman; giver of life.”
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1951. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Chava through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 3,552
- 0 boys · 3,552 girls
- Most popular year
- 2024
- 160 babies
- 2025
- 117
- #1,737 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +29%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 117 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 1,737 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 28.8% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, New Jersey had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (49). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 2,562 as a first name in 2020; 466 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.
Chava’s family of names
Chava has a related form in Chaba. In Belarusian usage, Chava has a related form in Хава. In Greek usage, Chava as a surname is a transliteration of Χαβά.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 2
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 7
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Chava
- Chava AlbersteinIsraeli singerborn 1946
- Chava RosenfarbHolocaust survivor and Jewish-Canadian author1923–2011
- Chava ShapiroVolhynian Jewish writer (1876–1943)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Chava, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Sheva
“ravage” · “worthless one”
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Aiah
“falcon”
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Adalia
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Anaiah
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Azaliah
“Yah has set aside” · “Yah has reserved”
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Adaiah
“Yahweh has adorned” · “ornament of the Lord”
16% boys · 84% girls
Ayla
“from the oak tree”
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Asherah
“progression” · “happiness”
>99% girls