Where does the name Viola come from?

Viola is a girl name of Latin origin.

Is Viola a boy or a girl name?

Viola is overwhelmingly a girl name in the United States. Of the 132,544 U.S. babies recorded with this name, more than 99% are girls.

How popular is the name Viola in 2023?

Viola ranks #1069 for girls in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1918 with 4,331 babies.

How do you pronounce Viola?

Viola is pronounced VEE-oh-la (3 syllables).

What are common spellings of Viola?

Viola is also written as Violet, Viole, Violetta.

A name from Latin · Girl

Viola

From Latin viola meaning 'violet' — the flower as a symbol of modesty in Christian iconography. Heroine of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, who disguises herself as the page Cesario.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 143-year arc in numbers.

132,544 U.S. births recorded from 1880–2023.

Popularity · 1880–2023

233 births in 2023

1880 1951 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

VFrom Latin viola meaning 'violet' — the flower as a symbol of modesty in Christian iconography. Heroine of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, who disguises herself as the page Cesario.

Variants & spellings

3 ways to spell "Viola".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Violet Most common Viole Violetta

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Viola.

V
Viola Davis (Oscar-winning actress)
V
Viola (Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night)
V
Viola Liuzzo (civil rights martyr)

Quick answers

People often ask about Viola.

What does the name Viola mean?: Viola means from Latin viola meaning 'violet' — the flower as a symbol of modesty in Christian iconography. Heroine of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, who disguises herself as the page Cesario.
Where does the name Viola come from?: Viola is a girl name of Latin origin.
Is Viola a boy or a girl name?: Viola is overwhelmingly a girl name in the United States. Of the 132,544 U.S. babies recorded with this name, more than 99% are girls.
How popular is the name Viola in 2023?: Viola ranks #1069 for girls in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1918 with 4,331 babies.
How do you pronounce Viola?: Viola is pronounced VEE-oh-la (3 syllables).
What are common spellings of Viola?: Viola is also written as Violet, Viole, Violetta.

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About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.