Given name & surname
Livia
“one who protects others”·“from the olive tree”·“of the olive tree; one who is peaceful”
Livia is a variant of Liv. Interpretations include “one who protects others” and “from the olive tree”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts. In English use, Livia is a short form of Olivia. In Latin use, Olivia carries the interpretation “of the olive tree; one who is peaceful.”
Original LatinLīvia
Meaning & origin
What it means
Livia is a variant of Liv. Interpretations include “one who protects others” and “from the olive tree”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts. In English use, Livia is a short form of Olivia. In Latin use, Olivia carries the interpretation “of the olive tree; one who is peaceful.”
Explained through its name family
How it developed
Livia is a short form of Olivia. In Latin usage, Livia is a feminine form of LIVIUS.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1906. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. In English use, Livia is a short form of Olivia. The history of Olivia gives this family its wider story. Shakespeare used Olivia for the heiress in Twelfth Night. Possible starting points include Oliver, Latin oliva meaning “olive,” and the older feminine name Oliva; the literary appearance is more secure than any single derivation.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Livia through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 10,236
- 0 boys · 10,236 girls
- Most popular year
- 2018
- 430 babies
- 2025
- 332
- #820 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −13%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 332 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 820 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 13.1% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 430 in 2018. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (40). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 9,934 as a first name in 2020; 147 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.
Livia’s family of names
Livia is a short form of Olivia. In Latin usage, Livia is a feminine form of LIVIUS. Livia has a related form in Liv.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Livia has relatives in 7 languages. Lines run from its Latin roots to each of them.
Nicknames & forms 4
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 18
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Livia
- Livia BritoCuban actressborn 1986
- Livia PengSwiss association football playerborn 2002
- Livia MillhagenSwedish actressborn 1973
- Livia TurcoItalian politicianborn 1955
- Livia della RovereItalian noble (1585-1641)
- Lívia Renata SouzaBrazilian mixed martial artistborn 1991
- Livia KlausováCzech first wife of the Czech Republic, ambassador and economistborn 1943
- Livia AltmannSwiss ice hockey playerborn 1994
- Livia KaiserSwiss figure skaterborn 2004
Characters named Livia: Livia Soprano (The Sopranos).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Livia, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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