Updated February 2025
Across 3 pages
of 3
Hebrew or Japanese
"life; universal feathers"
Appealing crosscultural choice.
Spanish and Catalan from Latin
"life, vital"
A zippy, lively name that has never been popular, but has never completely disappeared. It is best known for writer and wit Gore Vidal, and hairdresser Vidal Sassoon and his many products.
Diminutive of Viv- names
"life"
Vivi is a short form of all the Vivian and Viveca forms that is sure to get a lot more attention now that a little Jolie-Pitt girl has been named Vivienne.
Greek
"the life of Zeus; dedicated to Zeus"
A powerful name with an intriguing air of antiquity, Zenaida has the freshness of Zephyr and Azalea too. Meaning "life of Zeus" or "dedicated to Zeus", it was notably borne by the first-century…
Latin
Vital and vivacious, Vita is stirring back to life along with many of her V-themed sisters -- Vivian, Vivica -- and is becoming a new celebrity baby favorite. Vita Sackville-West was a British author…
Welsh
"life, spirit"
This Celtic goddess and Arthurian name may sound terminally old-ladyish to many ears--but so did names like Ella and Etta not so long ago. So Enid is yet another forgotten four-letter E-possibility:…
"alive, living, life"
Viva la baby with this life-affirming name, one of the appealing group of girl names that mean life . Other related life-giving names on the rise: cousins Vida and Vita, and Vivian, Aviva, and even…
Hebrew
"brilliance"
Also a synonym for the Hebrew month of Iyar, which usuually falls in May, would work and play well with others like Zev and Lev.
Hindi
"life and death"
Shivani sounds fresh and powerful.
"force of Zeus"
With historical roots as a beautiful and intelligent ancient queen and literary ties to Hawthorne and Edith Wharton novels, this rarity could appeal to adventurous parents seeking the romantically…
Italian variation of Vivian
Vivia, the fresh Italian version of newly popular name, streamlines and even vivifies the original.
Melodic and unusual, and she will outgrow any bib jokes.
Irish form of Eve
Eabha, along with Aoife and Aoibhe and even the Anglo Ava, are all Eve sisters or soundalikes in the Irish Top 100. Outside of Ireland, though, this Gaelic spelling would prove difficult. Confusingly…
Literary name or variation of Zoe, Greek
Readers who remember J. D. Salinger's Franny and Zooey have probably forgotten that the character was male (nee Zachary). Nowadays the somewhat loopy spin on Zoe is associated with actress Zooey…
Deriving from the Roman cognomen Vivianus , Vivian was originally a masculine name, with Vivien being a feminine soundalike coined by Alfred Lord Tennyson for the Lady of the Lake in his famous…
Hungarian
"sultan"
Though a common name in Hungary, with the spelling Zoltán, the relatively rare Z sound is striking to English speakers. Penn Gillette used the Zolten spelling for his son; it was also the name of…
African
"life and wisdom"
This pretty African girls' name has not one but two admirable meanings.
Russian literary name
For lovers of Pasternak's great doctor, a lively middle name choice, one made by actress Nia Long.
Variation of Zoe, Greek
Mireille Enos and Alan Ruck used it as the middle name for their son Larkin in 2014.
No-no appelation of a child saint and martyr whose name is a term for the nervous condition known as Saint Vitus' Dance. Its one recommending feature is that it's among the elite group Boy names that…