Girl nameCurrently #77 in the USSteady
Vivian
VIV-ee-un//ˈvɪviən//
3 syllablesPeak year: 19206 lettersStarts with V
Meaning & origin
Alive, lively
Vivian comes from the Latin 'vivus', meaning alive, and was borne by a legendary early Christian saint as well as the enchantress Vivien of Arthurian legend. Popular in the early 20th century, it has returned strongly to fashion in recent years.
Vivian's popularity over time
| Year | Births named Vivian |
|---|---|
| 1880 | 29 |
| 1881 | 33 |
| 1882 | 32 |
| 1883 | 40 |
| 1884 | 45 |
| 1885 | 57 |
| 1886 | 55 |
| 1887 | 79 |
| 1888 | 84 |
| 1889 | 93 |
| 1890 | 110 |
| 1891 | 118 |
| 1892 | 164 |
| 1893 | 194 |
| 1894 | 224 |
| 1895 | 232 |
| 1896 | 242 |
| 1897 | 251 |
| 1898 | 328 |
| 1899 | 260 |
| 1900 | 401 |
| 1901 | 354 |
| 1902 | 434 |
| 1903 | 446 |
| 1904 | 489 |
| 1905 | 507 |
| 1906 | 502 |
| 1907 | 592 |
| 1908 | 581 |
| 1909 | 667 |
| 1910 | 817 |
| 1911 | 1,235 |
| 1912 | 1,521 |
| 1913 | 1,770 |
| 1914 | 2,139 |
| 1915 | 2,903 |
| 1916 | 3,109 |
| 1917 | 3,180 |
| 1918 | 3,728 |
| 1919 | 3,713 |
| 1920 | 4,200 |
| 1921 | 4,168 |
| 1922 | 3,801 |
| 1923 | 3,898 |
| 1924 | 3,903 |
| 1925 | 3,625 |
| 1926 | 3,483 |
| 1927 | 3,577 |
| 1928 | 3,352 |
| 1929 | 3,155 |
| 1930 | 2,915 |
| 1931 | 2,935 |
| 1932 | 2,717 |
| 1933 | 2,425 |
| 1934 | 2,436 |
| 1935 | 2,155 |
| 1936 | 2,053 |
| 1937 | 1,930 |
| 1938 | 1,827 |
| 1939 | 1,900 |
| 1940 | 2,286 |
| 1941 | 2,310 |
| 1942 | 2,235 |
| 1943 | 2,347 |
| 1944 | 2,044 |
| 1945 | 2,184 |
| 1946 | 2,451 |
| 1947 | 2,516 |
| 1948 | 2,449 |
| 1949 | 2,347 |
| 1950 | 2,281 |
| 1951 | 2,423 |
| 1952 | 2,530 |
| 1953 | 2,380 |
| 1954 | 2,303 |
| 1955 | 2,378 |
| 1956 | 2,572 |
| 1957 | 2,453 |
| 1958 | 2,219 |
| 1959 | 2,210 |
| 1960 | 2,037 |
| 1961 | 1,911 |
| 1962 | 1,760 |
| 1963 | 1,753 |
| 1964 | 1,519 |
| 1965 | 1,262 |
| 1966 | 1,069 |
| 1967 | 1,063 |
| 1968 | 919 |
| 1969 | 819 |
| 1970 | 789 |
| 1971 | 669 |
| 1972 | 569 |
| 1973 | 532 |
| 1974 | 515 |
| 1975 | 423 |
| 1976 | 384 |
| 1977 | 361 |
| 1978 | 353 |
| 1979 | 457 |
| 1980 | 415 |
| 1981 | 356 |
| 1982 | 393 |
| 1983 | 422 |
| 1984 | 420 |
| 1985 | 415 |
| 1986 | 443 |
| 1987 | 434 |
| 1988 | 435 |
| 1989 | 474 |
| 1990 | 561 |
| 1991 | 863 |
| 1992 | 919 |
| 1993 | 943 |
| 1994 | 921 |
| 1995 | 878 |
| 1996 | 904 |
| 1997 | 913 |
| 1998 | 912 |
| 1999 | 1,114 |
| 2000 | 1,177 |
| 2001 | 1,020 |
| 2002 | 1,275 |
| 2003 | 1,453 |
| 2004 | 1,424 |
| 2005 | 1,560 |
| 2006 | 1,544 |
| 2007 | 1,639 |
| 2008 | 1,646 |
| 2009 | 1,971 |
| 2010 | 1,948 |
| 2011 | 2,027 |
| 2012 | 2,264 |
| 2013 | 2,658 |
| 2014 | 3,068 |
| 2015 | 3,204 |
| 2016 | 3,141 |
| 2017 | 3,032 |
| 2018 | 2,988 |
| 2019 | 2,933 |
| 2020 | 2,705 |
| 2021 | 2,693 |
| 2022 | 2,681 |
| 2023 | 2,806 |
| 2024 | 3,088 |
Vivian through the decades
- Vivian peaked in 1920, when 4,200 babies were named Vivian in the US.
- Over the last 10 years of data (2015–2024), use of Vivian has risen 44% compared to the 10 years before that.
- Vivian currently ranks #77 in the US and is holding steady.
Nicknames
VivVivi
Variants & spellings
VivienneVivien
Famous people named Vivian
- Vivien Leigh — actress