Aiva

Meaning & origin

Aiva is a rare modern name that first appeared in U.S. birth records in 2002. It saw a small peak in 2014, when it ranked at its highest popularity, but its usage has been falling since then, with a 2025 rank of 8,362 and an incidence of 1 in 133,939 newborns. Aiva has not been concentrated in any particular state, and its similarity to names like Ava and Eva gives it a contemporary feel while maintaining a touch of uniqueness. The name may also carry Latvian heritage, where it is a traditional name with a distinct meaning, offering a dual cultural appeal.

Aiva is a modern coinage in English-speaking countries, likely a variant of Ava, a name of uncertain origin that has been linked to the Latin 'avis' (bird) or the Hebrew 'chava' (life). In Latvia, Aiva is a traditional name derived from the Latvian word 'aiva', meaning 'blooming' or 'shining', and it is also a short form of names like Aivita. The name gained modest popularity in the United States after 2002, coinciding with the rise of similar short vowel-starting names like Ava, Eva, and Aria.