Given name
Kiva
“protected by God”
Kiva is used as a given name. One Hebrew interpretation is “protected by God.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Hebrew interpretation is “protected by God.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Hebrew.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1958. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Kiva through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 850
- 30 boys · 820 girls
- Most popular year
- 1974
- 30 babies
- 2025
- 17
- #9,187 for girls · #11,413 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +30%
- Rising
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 11 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 9,187 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 18.5% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 30 in 1974. It also appeared in 6 birth records for boys in 2025. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 787 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Kiva’s family of names
In English usage, Kiva has a related form in Keavy. Kiva has a related form in Kiba. Kiva has a related form in Kivah.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 4
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
Similar names
If you love Kiva, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Kish
“snaring”
25% boys · 75% girls
Shawna
“God is gracious”
>99% girls
Shelah
“missionary” · “emissary”
>99% girls
Tiria
“reverence” · “fear”
>99% girls
Susannah
“resembling a graceful white lily”
>99% girls
Tommi
Tommi is a masculine given name from Biblical Hebrew. It is used in Finnish.
2% boys · 98% girls
Janna
“God is gracious”
>99% girls
Tamar
“from the palm tree”
6% boys · 94% girls