Vava
A rare feminine name of uncertain meaning, possibly derived from a Russian diminutive.
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Vava. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Vava today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Vava births was 1914 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Vava. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Vava. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1914
6 babies that year
Average age
-
1914 SSA rank
#3,583
Tracked since 1913
Popularity
Vava: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Vava 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 Vava during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 0 | 11 | 11 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Vava
The name Vava finds its origins in the ancient Sanskrit language, with roots tracing back to the Indian subcontinent during the Vedic period, around 1500-500 BCE. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "vav," which means "air" or "wind," symbolizing a connection to nature and the elemental forces.
One of the earliest known references to the name Vava can be found in the ancient Indian epic, the Mahabharata, where it is mentioned as the name of a warrior. This epic is believed to have been composed between the 8th and 4th centuries BCE, indicating the antiquity of the name's usage.
Historically, the name Vava has been associated with various notable figures. In the 6th century CE, there was a Buddhist monk named Vava who was renowned for his teachings and contributions to the spread of Buddhism in India. His writings and discourses have been preserved in various Buddhist texts.
During the medieval period, Vava was also the name of a prominent Indian philosopher and scholar who lived around the 11th century CE. He is known for his works on logic, metaphysics, and Hindu philosophy, which influenced the intellectual discourse of his time.
In the realm of literature, Vava was the name of a celebrated poet from the 16th century CE in the Tamil tradition. His poetic works, which explored themes of love, nature, and spirituality, have been widely acclaimed and continue to be studied and appreciated to this day.
Another notable figure with the name Vava was a influential Indian politician and social reformer from the 19th century CE. He played a significant role in the Indian independence movement and advocated for the rights of oppressed communities, leaving a lasting impact on the nation's struggle for freedom.
Throughout history, the name Vava has carried a sense of strength, wisdom, and a connection to the natural world, reflecting its ancient Sanskrit origins. While its usage may have ebbed and flowed over time, the name has remained a part of the cultural tapestry of the Indian subcontinent and beyond, leaving an indelible mark on various aspects of society.
People
Vava + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Vava as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with V
Other first names starting with V with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Vava: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Vava?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Vava 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 - US residents.
Is Vava a common name?
We classify Vava as "Very Rare". It ranks above 2.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 11 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Vava most popular?
The single biggest year for Vava was 1914, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Vava is about 0 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Vava in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Vava a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Vava 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.
Is Vava still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Vava in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Vava can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people share the name Vava?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.