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At a Glance: Name: Niven – Meaning: little saint – Origin: Scottish Gaelic (variant of Nevin) – Gender: Boy – Pronunciation: NIV-en
Niven is a boy's name pronounced NIV-en (IPA /ˈnɪvən/), a Scottish Gaelic variant of Nevin that carries the meaning "little saint." It has a clean, modern, worldly feel, making it a good fit if you want something short, clean, and tied to a specific Gaelic root rather than a trend. If you're weighing Niven, its meaning and origin are well-documented, even if usage data for it isn't tracked yet.
Meaning & Origin of Niven
Meaning: Little saint.
Origin: Scottish Gaelic (variant of Nevin).
Source: Wiktionary.
How to Pronounce Niven
Phonetic: NIV-en IPA: /ˈnɪvən/
Popularity of Niven
Niven does not appear in U.S. Social Security birth-name records (38,443 names on file, 1880–present) — likely too rare, too new, or recorded under a different spelling. No popularity rank or trend is shown rather than an invented one.
Make Niven Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Niven, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Niven mean?
Little saint. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Niven)
How do you pronounce Niven?
Niven is pronounced NIV-en (IPA: /ˈnɪvən/).
📊 How popular is Niven? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
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