Skip to content
Name Lineage

    The first name Viola

    A girl’s name from Latin meaning “violet”.

    Pronounced /vaɪˈəʊlə/ 3 syllables Female Also a surname

    Meaning and origin

    Latin origin

    Viola means “violet” in Latin.

    From Latin viola (“violet”).

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    In 2025, 32 girls were named Viola, making it the 1,051st most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2018, with 46 births (#815).

    02550 1996200020052010201520202025
    608
    babies named Viola, 1996–2025
    #1,051
    rank in 2025
    2018
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Viola with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Viola at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 247 girls born in the United States were named Viola, the 1,015th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1918, when 4,331 were.

    02,5005,000 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    133,427
    babies named Viola since 1880
    #1,015
    rank in 2025
    1918
    peak year

    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.

    Viola in other languages

    Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary

    Spelled Viola in Czech, Danish, Finnish, Italian and Swedish too.

    Famous people named Viola

    24 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Viola Davis
      American actress and producer (born 1965)
    • Viola Dana
      Actress (1897-1987)
    • Viola Myers
      Athletics competitor (1927–1993)
    • Viola Desmond
      Canadian activist (1914-1965)
    • Viola Bauer
      German cross-country skier, born 1976
    • Viola Calligaris
      Association football player, born 1996
    • Viola Allen
      American actress (1867–1948)
    • Viola Goretzki
      East German rower, born 1956
    • Viola Liuzzo
      American activist and murder victim (1925–1965)
    • Viola Smith
      American musician (1912-2020)
    • Viola Poley
      East German rower, born 1955
    • Viola Barry
      Film actress (1894-1964)

    More Latin girls’ names

    All 381 names of Latin origin

    Questions

    What does the name Viola mean?
    Viola means “violet” in Latin.
    What is the origin of the name Viola?
    From Latin viola (“violet”).
    How popular is the name Viola?
    In 2025, 32 girls born in England and Wales were named Viola, ranking 1,051st. Its peak was 2018, with 46 births.
    Is Viola a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 133,427 US babies named Viola since 1880 were girls.
    When was Viola most popular?
    1918 in the United States, when 4,331 babies were named Viola, its highest rank at 59th.
    How do you pronounce Viola?
    Viola is /vaɪˈəʊlə/, 3 syllables.
    Is Viola also a surname?
    Yes. Viola is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.