The first name Alva
A unisex name.
Pronounced /ˈæl.və/ 2 syllables Unisex Also a surname
Meaning and origin
A male given name.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 16 girls were named Alva, making it the 1,809th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2018, with 17 births (#1,711).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Alva with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Alva at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 22 girls born in the United States were named Alva, the 5,567th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1917, when 317 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Famous people named Alva
7 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Alva BelmontAmerican suffragette and socialite (1853–1933)
- Alva ColquhounAustralian swimmer, 1942–2025
- Alva B. AdamsAmerican politician (1875–1941)
- Alva M. LumpkinAmerican politician (1886–1941)
- Alva AdamsAmerican politician (1850-1922)
- Alva J. FisherAmerican engineer and inventor (1862-1947)
- Thomas EdisonAmerican inventor and businessman (1847–1931)
Questions
- How popular is the name Alva?
- In 2025, 16 girls born in England and Wales were named Alva, ranking 1,809th. Its peak was 2018, with 17 births.
- Is Alva a boy's or a girl's name?
- Both. Of the 20,158 US babies named Alva since 1880, 44% were girls and 56% boys.
- When was Alva most popular?
- 1917 in the United States, when 317 babies were named Alva, its highest rank at 294th.
- How do you pronounce Alva?
- Alva is /ˈæl.və/, 2 syllables.
- Is Alva also a surname?
- Yes. Alva is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.