Rising since 1990, #13 for girls today.
Popularity of Violet since 1880
Babies named Violet per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 879 |
| 1890s | 3,076 |
| 1900s | 7,844 |
| 1910s | 23,157 |
| 1920s | 30,022 |
| 1930s | 13,863 |
| 1940s | 6,553 |
| 1950s | 4,153 |
| 1960s | 2,256 |
| 1970s | 1,243 |
| 1980s | 1,393 |
| 1990s | 1,699 |
| 2000s | 9,811 |
| 2010s | 41,581 |
| 2020s | 38,031 |
Meaning & origin
Of all the Victorian flower names, Violet is the one that came back strongest. It carries the flower, the color, and a faint literary shimmer, Violets appear everywhere from Oscar Wilde's circle to the Incredibles, while the crisp t ending keeps it from dissolving into pure prettiness.
The numbers tell an overshoot story. Strong in the 1900s through the 1920s, Violet all but disappeared from delivery-ward paperwork by the 1970s, then turned in 1990 and kept climbing for three and a half decades. By 2025 it ranked No. 13, its best year in the entire Social Security record, ahead of even its Edwardian heyday, with about 1 in every 213 girls given the name.
Its strongholds are Vermont, Wyoming, and Alaska, the rural mountain-and-forest states where the vintage-botanical style runs deepest. Violet now effectively leads that whole family of names: parents who shortlist it are usually also weighing Hazel, Iris, and Olive, with Jasper and August the natural brother picks.
Violet is the English flower word turned given name: Old French violete, a diminutive of viole, from Latin viola, the term Romans used for the plant and the purple color alike. As a personal name it appears in Scotland as early as the sixteenth century, likely under French influence, but its great flowering came with the Victorian and Edwardian botanical vogue that also produced Lily, Daisy, and Iris. American use ran strong through the 1900s to the 1920s, wilted by mid-century, and turned upward in 1990. Unusually among the flower names, its revival has overshot the original bloom: the 2020s have brought Violet higher on the charts than it ever stood a century ago.
Read more: Violet on Wikipedia
Where Violet is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Violet” around the world
Where Violet lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
Ireland
20
babies in 2025
New Zealand
#28
in 2025
Quebec
20
babies in 2025
Australia (NSW)
#20
in 2025
Sources: CSO Ireland (Ireland) · NZ Dept of Internal Affairs (New Zealand) · Retraite Québec (Quebec) · NSW Registry of BDM (Australia (NSW)).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Vi, Lettie
Famous people named Violet
- Violet Jessop · ocean-liner stewardess and nurse who survived the Titanic and Britannic sinkings
- Violet Bonham Carter · British politician and diarist
Sibling names for Violet
Names that share Violet's style, for a brother or sister.
Sisters: Hazel, Iris, Daisy, Matilda, Olive, Adeline, Alice, Aurora, Charlotte, Delilah, Eleanor, Lily, Scarlett, Stella, Adelaide, Cecilia, Celeste, Elinor, Flora, Florence, Georgia, Imogene, Laurel, Lillie, Lilly, Madeline, Marion, Mavis, Rosa, Rosalie, Rosemary, Rosie, Sylvia, Adaline, Adelyne, Alyce, Amelie, Annabel, Audree, Azalea, Bellamy, Camellia, Cattleya, Clarice, Clover, Coraline, Cordelia, Dahlia, Edie, Eleanora, Elnora, Elouise, Estella, Estelle, Ethel, Evalyn, Evelina, Evelynn, Felicity, Florine, Flossie, Jasmin, Juliet, Lavina, Lenora, Lenore, Lilah, Lilia, Lilian, Lilyann, Lottie, Magnolia, Margot, Marguerite, Margurite, Maudie, Maybelle, Pansy, Poppy, Rosalee, Rosella, Roselyn, Rosy, Roxie, Rubye, Scarlet, Scarlette, Thea, Valorie, Waverly, Winter, Adalia, Adalie, Alise, Amaryllis, Anabell, Anise, Arlett, Aveline, Avonlea, Azalee, Azure, Beatrix, Billiejo, Calla, Camelia, Charlsie, Cicely, Crimson, Daisey, Daphney, Dot, Elanor, Elease, Elenora, Elenore, Emelyn, Enola, Estell, Evelena, Eveline, Fairy, Floretta, Florrie, Gardenia, Genie, Irine, Ivie, Jeanetta, Joye, Kensington, Lavender, Leonore, Lilibeth, Lilie, Lillia, Lillyan, Lilyan, Lilyanne, Madelin, Marguerita, Marigold, Olevia, Pearlene, Rosabelle, Rosaline, Roselee, Roseline, Roselle, Rosey, Rossie, Rozanne, Rozella, Sable, Tiny, Tomie, Vaeda, Velva, Adalind, Addeline, Adelena, Adelynne, Adline, Aleece, Ameris, Annora, Arista, Aster, Avarose, Azaleah, Cecila, Celester, Claris, Clary, Corabelle, Daisie, Dalett, Daphene, Daphnie, Dasie, Devera, Dorothe, Dorothie, Elize, Ellouise, Elynor, Emiline, Emmelyn, Evalee, Florice, Florie, Graycee, Hazelle, Helaina, Jassmine, Jessamine, Jessye, Jorgia, Koraline, Laretta, Laurelle, Leanore, Lilley, Lillis, Lilya, Lilyrose, Lilyth, Lizzet, Lucetta, Lylia, Lyllian, Maevis, Magaline, Maybel, Mintie, Ovella, Pink, Posey, Posie, Primrose, Reigna, Rosabel, Rosalea, Rosaleigh, Rosaly, Rosebud, Roselia, Roselind, Rosemond, Rosette, Rozena, Scarleth, Selenia, Starlet, Starlett, Tansy, Valjean, Vallery, Veatrice, Vietta, Viona, Vivia, Viviann, Vivica, Willo, Zooey, Adabelle, Adahlia, Adelae, Adelaine, Aerilyn, Alaena, Aneita, Angeleen, Arbutus, Aurorah, Avalene, Avelynn, Azalia, Burgundy, Cecilee, Ceclia, Celest, Charlett, Charolett, Clarabel, Cybil, Daffney, Daysy, Deliliah, Deysy, Dhalia, Domino, Elanore, Eliabeth, Elice, Ellamay, Ellsie, Esmay, Evaleen, Evalyne, Evellyn, Evely, Everlie, Everline, Fayetta, Fleur, Florance, Floreine, Floriene, Genecis, Genever, Gizel, Gladyce, Gwendolyne, Hazell, Hyacinth, Irisa, Isola, Ivyana, Ivyrose, Jewelle, Jonquil, Josaphine, Josphine, Julina, Kattleya, Konstance, Lauryl, Leafy, Lenor, Lilac, Lilas, Liliya, Liller, Lillien, Lucylle, Lyliana, Madaleine, Maebel, Magenta, Malva, Margurette, Maryon, Mayetta, Mayvis, Narcissus, Orchid, Prim, Rosabell, Rosaland, Rosamary, Rosamund, Rosealee, Roselene, Roselie, Roselin, Roselinda, Rosely, Rosene, Rubyann, Skarlette, Swan, Sylvanna, Tulip, Valla, Vaness, Vanissa, Veronia, Vi, Vicci, Vici, Vienne, Zamia, Adlene, Arabel, Elliet, Ivry, Jasemine, Silvie, Adelei, Anniebell, Arlina, Asalee, Attalie, Azaela, Azaleia, Azaleya, Azalie, Azalya, Azaylea, Azelea, Beatric, Belky, Bessye, Blossie, Cateleya, Chrysanthemum, Daisi, Dayzee, Dearie, Delrose, Elener, Ellanore, Emmogene, Etoy, Evelean, Evoleht, Evolett, Fergie, Floree, Flornce, Flower, Geneive, Genette, Georga, Gladyes, Grettell, Hazelene, Jasminne, Leeona, Lil, Lilias, Lillan, Lilliane, Lillion, Lillyrose, Lilyahna, Lilyanah, Lilybelle, Lilygrace, Lilyian, Linnell, Lunarose, Lylianna, Lyly, Madalen, Madolin, Majel, Mareta, Mayre, Novalei, Olivene, Olivet, Oliviarose, Peachie, Peony, Renesmay, Rosalynd, Rosamae, Rosealie, Rosealyn, Rosealynn, Roseland, Rosemae, Rosmary, Sabel, Saphyra, Secily, Skarleth, Sybel, Sybol, Tilia, Valeree, Valine, Valree, Vicy, Vinetta, Vivyan, Vylette
Brothers: Jasper, Felix, August, Silas, Oscar, Oliver, Owen, Theodore, Dorian, Freddie, Jude, Lewis, Morris, Archer, Bud, Buster, Cletus, Cleveland, Cliff, Dexter, Drexel, Edison, Eldridge, Elwood, Ever, Gardner, Garland, Granville, Harlan, Haywood, Kingsley, Lionel, Louie, Lucian, Raylan, Remy, Royce, Theadore, Vander, Adrain, Aldon, Arland, Baxter, Bennet, Blade, Blue, Chancey, Clive, Dashiell, Douglass, Drayton, Elder, Fenton, Haydn, Holt, Hosie, Jacen, Lawrance, Loring, Maury, Mercer, Neville, Ozzy, Rexford, Sedric, Willam, Wright, Arthor, Audley, Augie, Beauden, Corda, Corvin, Deforest, Emeric, Everhett, Evertt, Hammond, Hardie, Hassel, Henrry, Ivis, Marven, Mont, Ogden, Olliver, Orange, Pasco, Quenten, Quince, Rockey, Rohen, Rozell, Vaden, Venson, Vestal, Vinton, Woodford, Anthonee, Burleigh, Clent, Dencil, Duglas, Eathen, Eldin, Elester, Evrett, Freeland, Heywood, Hyland, Kaius, Kizer, Leelan, Levii, Mansel, Maylon, Myheir, Phelix, Red, Thermon, Tyrian, Vencent, Ambers, Bazil, Claudy, Cleburn, Ellian, Eugine, Fountain, Garlen, Herley, Kingsly, Lional, Rhodie, Slyvester, Thoms, Tristain, Vick, Vinal, Vincen, Willet, Woodruff
Names like Violet
Names whose popularity has moved with Violet's over the last 50 years.
