What Does the Name Ava Mean?
Ava is a girl's name of Germanic origin meaning “uncertain; possibly 'bird' or a short form.”
Updated June 2026
| Name | Ava |
|---|---|
| Gender | female |
| Origin | Germanic |
| Meaning | uncertain; possibly 'bird' or a short form |
| Variants | Eva, Ava-Marie, Avah |
| Popularity | Consistent US Top 5 girls' name throughout the 2010s-2020s |
The meaning and origin of Ava
The name Ava means “uncertain; possibly 'bird' or a short form” and has Germanic origins. Possibly a Latinate form of the Germanic name Ava, of uncertain meaning, sometimes linked to a short form of names with 'avi'. Brought to prominence in the modern era by actress Ava Gardner.
Variants and related names
Ava is related to several other names you may recognize: Eva, Ava-Marie, Avah. These share a common root or are spelling and language variants of the same name.
How popular is the name Ava?
Consistent US Top 5 girls' name throughout the 2010s-2020s
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Open the name generator →Frequently asked questions
What does the name Ava mean?+
The name Ava means “uncertain; possibly 'bird' or a short form” and is of Germanic origin.
What is the origin of the name Ava?+
Ava originates from Germanic.
Is Ava a popular name?+
Yes — see the popularity note above for how Ava has trended in the US over time.
Ava by gender
More girl's names
Sources
- Behind the Name — Etymology and history of first names — Behind the Name
- US Social Security Administration — Popular baby names by year — Social Security Administration
- A Dictionary of First Names — Oxford Reference — Oxford University Press