Viola

Latin
"violet"

Viola Origin and Meaning

The name Viola is a girl's name of Italian, Latin origin meaning "violet".

Viola has several positive elements going for it: the rhythm of the musical instrument, the association with the flower, the trending 'Vi' beginning and its leading role in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night.

In the Bard's gender-bending comedy of identity and disguise, Viola is the appealing, passionate heroine. Later takes on this tale include Shakespeare in Love, with Gwyneth Paltrow as Viola de Lesseps and She's the Man starring Amanda Bynes.

The most distinguished current bearer is Oscar- and Emmy-winning actress Viola Davis.

Viola was a Top 50 name from 1899 to 1911, falling off the list in 1972, but is still popular in other countries such as Italy, where it is Number 15. And with Violet not sounding quite as fresh as it did, the strong Viola could find herself back in the running.

# 962 in the US

Viola Rank in US Top 1000

# 389 on Nameberry

Viola Rank in Nameberry Top 1000

Viola Popularity

Famous People Named Viola

  • Viola Maud Compton
    English actress.
  • Viola Mary Lyel
    English actress.
  • Viola Keats
    English actress.
  • Viola Elisabeth of Teschen
    Queen consort of Wenceslaus III of Bohemia and Poland.
  • Viola Davis Tennon
    American actress.
  • Viola Fauver Gregg Liuzzo
    American minister and civil rights activist.
  • Viola Farber
    American choreographer and dancer.
  • Viola Tree
    English actress.
  • Viola Harris
    American actress.
  • Viola Emily Allen
    American silent film actress.
  • Viola Barry (born Gladys Viola Wilson)
    American silent film actress.
  • Viola Dana (born Virginia Flugrath)
    American silent film actress.
  • Viola Cheptoo Lagat
    Kenyan middle distance runner.
  • Viola Bauer
    German skier.
  • Viola Odebrecht
    German footballer.
  • Viola Myers
    Canadian sprinter.
  • Viola Estelle Gentry
    American aviatrix.
  • Viola Mae Wills
    American pop singer.
  • Viola Gillette
    American operatic contralto.
  • Viola Spolin
    American theatre coach.
  • Viola Haqi
    Dutch model.
  • Viola Poley
    German rower.
  • Viola Maud (Lyttelton) Grosvenor
    Duchess of Westminister 10 June 1912 – 3 May 1987) was the wife of Robert Grosvenor, 5th Duke of Westminster.
  • Viola Georgina Grosvenor (b. 1992)
    English heiress; granddaughter of Viola Grosvenor.
  • Viola Mikkelsen (b. 1992)
    daughter of actor Mads Mikkelsen.
  • Viola Baah (b. 2012)
    daughter of actress Beverly Afaglo and singer Praye Honeho.
  • Viola Philomena Gallagher (b.2014)
    daughter of ators Megan Hilty and Brian Gallagher.
  • Viola Forchhammer (b.2016)
    daughter of Lukas Forchhammer of the band Lukas Graham.
  • Reece Viola Hamilton
    daughter of athletes Laird Hamilton & Gabrielle Reece.

Viola in Pop Culture

  • Viola
    main character in Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night;" twin of brother Sebastian
  • Viola Eade
    main character in the "Chaos Walking" trilogy
  • Viola Lucy
    character in the Chalet School series
  • Viola "Vi
    " waitress in the movie "Grease"
  • Viola
    one of Jake's daughters in animated series Adventure Time
  • Viola Hastings
    character in film "She's the Man"
  • Viola De Lesseps
    character in film "Shakespeare in Love"
  • Viola
    character in "Saints Row 3"
  • Viola Cadaverini
    character in "Ace Attorney" video game series
  • Viola
    character in video game "The Witch's House"
  • Viola
    character in the Soul Calibur series of games.
  • Viola
    a bug,type gym leader from the Pokemon video games and anime
  • Viola
    character in anime "Kiddy Grade"
  • Viola
    character in video game series TimeSplitters
  • Viola
    character in the Japanese video game series Zone of the Enders
  • Viola
    character in video game Eternal Sonata
  • Viola Beach
    late English rock band
  • A viola is a stringed instrument
    slightly larger than the violin, missing the violin E string and instead has a C string.
  • Viola Willoughby
    character played by Kate Siegel in “The Haunting of Bly Manor.”