Unique Girl Names that Start With V

Valeria

Latin

"strength, health"

Valeria -- the original form of the name, used by early Christians --has been experiencing significant popularity in recent years. While Valeria was nearly always on the charts, the name peaked in…

Vanessa

Literary invention; also a species of butterfly

Vanessa was invented by writer Jonathan Swift for a lover named Esther Vanhomrigh—he combined the first syllable of her last name with the initial syllable of her first. Swift used it in the poem…

Vienna

Place-name: the capital of Austria

"forest stream; white foundation"

Vienna is one of the more popular of the European place-names, with a particularly pleasant sound, evoking elegant images of the Blue Danube, of castles and cafes, sweets and sausages and Strauss…

Veda

Sanskrit

"knowledge"

A name with religious resonance, as the Vedas are the most sacred texts of Hinduism. Outside of that religious context, Veda has the makings of a modern popular name , with its sharp V initial, two…

Viola

Latin

"violet"

Viola has plenty of 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…

Valley

English word name

"low area of land between hills and mountains"

An evocative word name, conjuring up images of the beautiful low land between hills and mountains, and the streams and rivers that often run through them, Valley has the advantage of also sounding…

Vida

Spanish, Slovene, Lithuanian, Persian, Swedish, Serbian,"life, visible, willow, to see"

"life, visible, willow, to see"

Vida is a multicultural gem, familiar in a number of languages by not overly popular. It featured in the US Top 1000 in the first half of the 20th century, and in recent years, it has seen renewed…

Verity

Latin

"truth"

If you love Puritan virtue names and want to move beyond Hope and Faith and Grace, this is a wonderful choice, both for its meaning and its sound. A rare find here, though occasionally heard in…

Valencia

Spanish

"brave, strong"

This lovely orange-scented Spanish place-name would make an inventive namesake for an Aunt Valerie. Last on the popularity list in 1994, Valencia reached a high of Number 633 in 1969-70. The…

Valkyrie

Old Norse

"chooser of the slain"

In Norse mythology, the valkyries decided the fate of men in battle and conveyed the spirits of the fallen to Valhalla, to dwell with the god Odin. Often associated with ravens, swans, and horses,…

Venus

Latin

"love, desire"

The name of a heavenly planet and the Roman goddess of beauty and love was an intimidating no-no until tennis champ Venus Williams put an athletic, modern spin on it. Associated with the Greek…

Vesper

Latin

"evening star"

This Latin word used for evening spiritual services was introduced to baby namers by the Eva Greene character Vesper Lynd in the modern James Bond film Casino Royale in 2006, based on the Ian Fleming…

Vanellope

Invented name

Vanellope is a Disney creation, given to the protagonist of "Wreck it Ralph" and now a character on Sugar Rush. She is energetic, tomboyish and very sassy. Read more about Vanellope and other Disney…

Verena

Latin

"integrity"

Verena is pleasant but old-fashioned. Whether that's the outdated kind of old-fashioned or the so-out-it's-in-again kind is your call. St. Verena was a third century nurse; Verena Tarrant is a…

Vita

Latin

"life"

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…

Vega

Arabic, Spanish

"swooping eagle; meadow"

Another astral name, this one relating to one of the largest and brightest stars in the heavens, is popular in Scandinavia and Spain, where it ranks among the Top 50 girls' names . Although still…

Vanesa

Vanesa is a feminine name of Greek origin, a variation of Vanessa with the simplified spelling using a single 's.' The name derives from 'Phanessa,' an ancient Greek title for the god Dionysus,…

Verona

Italian place-name

Verona is a scenic place-name with the added attraction of a Shakespearean connection, as in Two Gentlemen of ....

Viridiana

Latin

"green"

Viridiana is a frillier version of the medieval name Viridis, meaning green. Viridiana briefly made it into the top 1000 in the US in the 1990s.

Viva

Latin

"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…