Character names #X - 'V'

Violet

English from Latin

"purple"

Violet is soft and sweet, yet with a vivacious edge. Today, Violet is the top flower name for girls, outranking Lily and Iris in the Top 100, and the most popular color name for girls, pulling ahead…

Valentina

Latin

"strength, health"

Effortlessly stylish, with plenty of sweetness and strength, Valentina feels like a fresh alternative to Valerie, Victoria, or Vanessa, even if it does now rank ahead of them in the US charts.…

Valerie

French variation of Valeria

"strength, health"

The name of a martyred medieval saint, Valerie has been on the popularity list since its earliest publication in 1880. Though it peaked in the 1960s, remaining in the Top 100 until 1988, it still…

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…

Veronica

Latin

"she who brings victory; true image"

The name Veronica projects a triple-threat image: at once saintly, sensuous, and strong. The name derives from Berenice, the Latin form of the Greek name Berenike "she who brings victory", with the…

Violette

French

"purple"

Now that Violet is becoming more popular, parents are starting to explore same-but-different options such as the French Violette, which would properly be pronounced with a long e sound in the first…

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…

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…

Vivianne

Variant of Vivian, Latin

"life"

Vivian is the classic spelling, now in the Top 100, while Vivien is the most common alternative. This one foregrounds the "Anne," and so could serve as a nod to a relative or friend by that name.

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…

Vanna

Italian

"god is gracious"

Diminutive of the Italian Giovanna, or sometimes Vanessa or Ivanna. Wheel of Fortune's Vanna White — who pronounces her name like the end of Savannah — got her name from her grandmother's next-door…

Vianna

Vianna is a feminine name with multiple possible origins, primarily connected to Latin and Romance languages. It may derive from the ancient Roman name 'Viviana,' meaning 'alive' or 'full of life,'…

Vivi

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.

Veronika

Czech variation of Veronica

This spelling adds a touch of the unusual to Veronica.

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…

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…

Valor

Word name

"courage and bravery"

A modern virtue name with ancient charm, Valor works well as it doesn't come up in everyday conversation all that often. Predominantly used for boys, Valor has been given to a slowly growing number…

Vana

Vana is a feminine name with multiple cultural origins. In Sanskrit, it means 'forest' or 'woodland,' connecting the bearer to nature. In Persian, it relates to 'fair' or 'beautiful.' The name also…