Lavanda
Of Latin origin, a feminine name meaning "to bathe" or "to wash".
Name Census estimates that about 312 living Americans carry the first name Lavanda. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Lavanda today is around 58 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Lavanda births was 1972 (21 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Lavanda. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
312
~ 1 in 1,098,572 Americans
Peak year
1972
21 babies that year
Average age
58
years old
1993 SSA rank
#11,245
Tracked since 1921
Popularity
Lavanda: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Lavanda from the 1920s through to the 1990s, spanning 8 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 96 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1970s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Lavanda by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Lavanda during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Lavanda
The name Lavanda is derived from the Latin word "lavandula," which means "lavender." The term lavandula itself comes from the root word "lavare," meaning "to wash." This connection to lavender likely stems from the ancient use of the plant for fragrance and purification rituals.
The earliest recorded use of the name Lavanda dates back to the Middle Ages in parts of Europe, particularly in Italy and France. During this time, lavender was highly valued for its calming aroma and was often used in religious ceremonies and to scent clothing and linens.
One of the earliest known mentions of the name Lavanda can be found in a 13th-century Italian text, "Il Decamerone," written by Giovanni Boccaccio. In this work, a character named Lavanda is described as a young woman with a delicate and soothing presence, perhaps alluding to the fragrance and properties of the lavender plant.
Throughout history, there have been several notable figures who bore the name Lavanda. In the 16th century, Lavanda de' Medici (1515-1553) was a member of the powerful Medici family in Florence, Italy. She was known for her patronage of the arts and her support of renowned artists like Michelangelo.
Another prominent figure was Lavanda Borghese (1590-1654), an Italian noblewoman and member of the influential Borghese family. She was a patron of the arts and played a significant role in the cultural and artistic renaissance of Rome during the early 17th century.
In the 18th century, Lavanda Grimaldi (1714-1793) was a member of the noble Grimaldi family of Monaco. She was renowned for her beauty and her influential role in the social and political circles of her time.
Lavanda Montserrat (1825-1892) was a Spanish writer and activist who fought for women's rights and education. She was one of the first female authors to gain recognition in Spain and wrote several influential works on feminism and social reform.
Lastly, Lavanda Filipović (1888-1972) was a Serbian painter and one of the pioneers of modern art in her country. Her works, which often featured lavender fields and landscapes, were celebrated for their vibrant colors and avant-garde style.
While the name Lavanda may have originated from the humble lavender plant, it has been borne by numerous influential figures throughout history, each leaving their mark in various fields and cultures.
People
Lavanda + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Lavanda as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with L
Other first names starting with L with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Lavanda: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Lavanda?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 312 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Lavanda going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 1,098,572 US residents.
Is Lavanda a common name?
We classify Lavanda as "Very Rare". It ranks above 79.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 441 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Lavanda most popular?
The single biggest year for Lavanda was 1972, when 21 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Lavanda is about 58 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Lavanda a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Lavanda in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.