Girl Names That Start With V
V names have a voice of their own. The letter buzzes, so even short names like Vera and Vida sound vivid. In recent years American parents have fallen hard for Violet, Valentina and Vivian, while vintage finds like Viola and Verity are waiting to be rediscovered. Here are 90+ girl names that start with V, each with its meaning and origin.
Many V names come from Latin words for life, truth and victory, which gives them a strong, optimistic feel. For more options, see girl names that start with U and W, the boys’ list of boy names that start with V, or our strong girl names.
Popular V names for girls
The V names American parents choose most often right now, led by Violet and Valentina.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Violet | The violet flower and color | Latin (viola) |
| Valentina | Strong, healthy | Latin |
| Vivian | Alive, lively | Latin |
| Victoria | Victory | Latin |
| Valerie | Strong, to be healthy | Latin/French |
| Vanessa | Coined by Jonathan Swift (1713) | English literary |
| Valeria | Strength, health | Latin/Spanish |
| Vivienne | Alive | French |
| Vera | Faith (Russian); true (Latin) | Russian/Latin |
| Veronica | True image (popular); bringer of victory (Greek Berenice) | Latin/Greek |
| Vienna | The Austrian capital | Place name |
| Vada | Uncertain; possibly from Germanic or Spanish | American |
Vintage V names
Early-20th-century V names ready for a revival. See more vintage girl names and grandma names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Viola | Violet | Latin; Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night heroine |
| Verna | Springtime | Latin |
| Velma | Will-helmet (from Wilhelmina) | German/English |
| Vivien | Alive | English |
| Virginia | Maiden, virgin | Latin |
| Vida | Life | Spanish/Latin |
| Vita | Life | Latin |
| Vivica | Lively | Latin-inspired |
| Vonda | Wanderer (from Wanda) | Slavic/English |
| Verena | Integrity, protection (possibly) | Swiss/Latin |
| Venetia | Of Venice; blessed | Latin |
| Violetta | Little violet | Italian |
| Valda | Ruler, governor | Germanic |
| Virgie | Diminutive of Virginia | American |
Virtue and word names starting with V
Words and virtues that stand as confident names. More in names that mean strength.
| Name | Meaning | Vibe |
|---|---|---|
| Verity | Truth | Puritan elegance |
| Valor | Courage | Bold, modern |
| Velvet | Soft, luxurious fabric | Glamorous |
| Vesper | Evening, evening star | Mysterious (James Bond’s Vesper Lynd) |
| Venus | Love, desire; Roman goddess | Romantic |
| Vale | Valley | Soft, nature |
| Verbena | Flowering herb | Botanical |
| Vanilla | The orchid pod and spice | Sweet, quirky |
| Violeta | Violet | Colorful |
| Vireo | Small green songbird | Rare nature |
| Vega | The bright star in Lyra | Cosmic |
| Venice | The Italian city | Travel-inspired |
Slavic and Eastern European V names
Much-loved V names from Russia, Ukraine, Poland and the Balkans. Find more Russian girl names and Polish girl names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin / pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Vesna | Spring | Slavic (VES-na) |
| Vasilisa | Queen, royal | Russian (va-see-LEE-sa) |
| Varvara | Foreign woman | Russian (form of Barbara) |
| Veronika | True image | Czech/Slovak |
| Vladislava | Ruling with glory | Slavic |
| Vlasta | Rule, homeland | Czech |
| Vanda | Wanderer | Polish |
| Viktoria | Victory | German/Slavic |
| Viktorija | Victory | Latvian/Lithuanian |
| Vanja | God is gracious (from Ivana) | Balkan |
| Valeriya | Strength | Russian/Ukrainian |
| Vira | Faith | Ukrainian |
| Vanya | God is gracious | Russian/Bulgarian |
| Vesela | Cheerful, merry | Bulgarian |
| Vendula | Czech form of Wendelin | Czech |
| Valeska | Glorious rule | Polish/German |
Italian, Spanish, French and Portuguese V names
Romance languages have many lyrical V names. See Italian girl names and Spanish girl names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Vittoria | Victory | Italian |
| Valentine | Strong, healthy | French/English |
| Violette | Violet | French |
| Vanina | Form of Giovanna, “God is gracious” | Corsican/Italian |
| Virginie | Maiden | French |
| Violaine | Violet | French |
| Veronique | True image | French |
| Viviana | Alive | Italian/Spanish |
| Victoire | Victory | French |
| Ventura | Good fortune | Spanish/Portuguese |
| Vitoria | Victory | Portuguese |
| Valencia | Strength, bravery; the Spanish city | Spanish |
| Vilma | Will-helmet (from Wilhelmina) | Spanish/Hungarian |
| Vicenta | Conquering | Spanish |
| Verona | The Italian city | Italian |
V names from Asia and beyond
V names are common in India and Scandinavia too. Explore Indian girl names and Finnish girl names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Vani | Speech, voice; a name of Saraswati | Sanskrit |
| Vaishnavi | Worshipper of Vishnu; a form of the goddess | Sanskrit |
| Vidya | Knowledge | Sanskrit |
| Veda | Knowledge, sacred text | Sanskrit |
| Varsha | Rain | Sanskrit |
| Vasanti | Of spring | Sanskrit |
| Vrinda | Holy basil (tulsi) | Sanskrit |
| Vanaja | Born of the forest | Sanskrit |
| Vy | Tiny, delicate | Vietnamese |
| Venla | Finnish form of Wendla | Finnish |
| Vilja | Will, determination | Finnish |
| Vieno | Gentle, calm | Finnish |
| Vasudha | Earth | Sanskrit |
| Vigdis | Battle goddess | Norwegian/Icelandic |
| Vilhelmina | Will-helmet | Swedish |
Mythic and literary V names
Heroines and goddesses. More in goddess names.
| Name | Meaning | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Vesta | Of the hearth | Roman goddess of the hearth |
| Valkyrie | Chooser of the slain | Norse mythology |
| Var | Beloved, pledge | Norse goddess of oaths (Vár) |
| Vor | Careful, aware | Norse goddess of wisdom (Vör) |
| Viviane | Alive | The Lady of the Lake, Arthurian legend |
| Vashti | Beautiful, best | Queen of Persia, Esther 1 |
| Vianne | Alive (variant of Vivienne) | Heroine of the novel Chocolat |
How to choose a V name
- Match the energy. Short V names (Vera, Vida, Vale) are crisp; longer ones (Valentina, Vasilisa) are dramatic and nickname-friendly.
- Pick a nickname you like. Valentina gives Val, Tina and Vallie; Victoria gives Tori, Vicky and Vic.
- Mind the Vs. A V first name with a V or W surname (Violet Wood) can blur together.
- Look to meaning. Vida and Vivian both mean life, Victoria and Vittoria victory. Browse names that mean life for more.
- Borrow from a flower. Violet, Viola and Verbena are great picks for spring babies; see flower names for girls.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most popular girl name that starts with V?
Violet is currently the most-used V name for US girls, in the SSA top 50, followed by Valentina and Victoria.
What girl names starting with V mean “life”?
Vida, Vivian, Vivienne, Viviana and Vivica all come from the Latin vita or vivus, meaning “life” or “alive.”
What are unique V names for girls?
Vesna, Verity, Vasilisa, Vesper, Vigdis and Violaine are rare in the US and easy to say.
What does Vera mean?
In Russian Vera means “faith,” and in Latin it is linked to verus, “true.” Both meanings are widely cited.
Is Vanessa a real name?
Yes, though it was invented. Jonathan Swift coined it in 1713 as a nickname for Esther Vanhomrigh, and it became a standard name in the 20th century.