Ava

At a Glance

Meaning

Most often treated as a variant of Eva/Hebrew Chava, meaning 'life'; alternatively explained as an anglicized form of Irish Aoife or from an obscure Germanic root

Origin

Disputed (Hebrew, Irish, or Germanic)

Gender

Girl

Pronunciation

AY-vahListen

Ava is pronounced AY-vah (/ˈeɪvə/). You may have come across the claim that it means 'bird,' from the Latin avis, but that's not supported by any source. It's most often treated as a variant of Eva, from the Hebrew Chava, meaning 'life' — though some trace it instead to the Irish Aoife or an obscure Germanic root, so the exact origin remains disputed.

Meaning & Origin of Ava

Meaning: Most often treated as a variant of Eva/Hebrew Chava, meaning 'life'; alternatively explained as an anglicized form of Irish Aoife or from an obscure Germanic root.

Origin: disputed (Hebrew, Irish, or Germanic).

A common claim: Ava is widely believed to mean 'bird,' from the Latin avis. Actually: That's a folk association not supported by any source — Ava's true origin is disputed, and it's most often treated as a variant of Eva, meaning 'life.'

Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.

How to Pronounce Ava

Popularity of Ava

Ava ranked #9 among girls' names in 2024, with 8,662 babies given the name, down from its peak of #3 in 2016, when 16,347 girls were named Ava.

Names Like Ava

These names share Ava’s style, era or origin.

• Liliana
• Lillian
• Magnolia
• Poppy
• Rosalie
• Stella

FAQ

What does the name Ava mean?

Most often treated as a variant of Eva/Hebrew Chava, meaning ‘life’; alternatively explained as an anglicized form of Irish Aoife or from an obscure Germanic root. (Source: Wiktionary)

How do you pronounce Ava?

Ava is pronounced AY-vah (IPA: /ˈeɪvə/).

Is Ava a popular name right now?

Ava peaked at #3 in 2016 and is ranked #9 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2024.)

Make Ava Name Art

Free printable nursery art for Ava, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.