Declining since 1994, #8,362 for girls today.
Popularity of Diva since 1917
Babies named Diva per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1910s | 7 |
| 1920s | 23 |
| 1930s | 0 |
| 1940s | 0 |
| 1950s | 0 |
| 1960s | 25 |
| 1970s | 13 |
| 1980s | 110 |
| 1990s | 150 |
| 2000s | 109 |
| 2010s | 131 |
| 2020s | 70 |
Meaning & origin
Diva is an uncommon name in the United States, with its first recorded appearance in Social Security data in 1917. The name saw its peak popularity in 1993, but has since been in a downward trajectory, declining from the mid-1990s onward. As of 2025, the name ranks 8,362, with approximately 1 in 133,939 newborn girls receiving the name. While it has never been widely used, the name's Latin and Italian origins give it a rich cultural heritage tied to the performing arts. The occasional use of the spelling variant 'Deva' also appears in the data.
Diva is a direct borrowing from Italian (and earlier Latin), where it means 'goddess' (feminine of divus 'divine'). In Italian, the word also came to refer to a celebrated female opera singer, a 'prima donna.' The name entered English usage primarily through the performing arts and has been used as a given name since the early 20th century, often chosen for its glamorous connotations.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Di, Vivi
Variants: Deva
Sibling names for Diva
Names that share Diva's style, for a brother or sister.
