Vivian
Vivian is a girls' name of Latin origin meaning “alive, lively, full of life.” It ranked #72 in the United States in 2025. Derived from the Latin 'vivus' meaning alive.
how do you pronounce Vivian?
VIV-ee-un
Hear it spoken aloud with our AI pronunciation tool.
what does Vivian mean?
The name Vivian means “alive, lively, full of life.” It comes from the Latin language tradition.
Derived from the Latin 'vivus' meaning alive. In Arthurian legend, Viviane or Vivien is the Lady of the Lake who gives Excalibur to King Arthur. The name has a long literary history.
where does the name Vivian come from?
From the Latin Vivianus and its feminine Viviana, probably from vivus, meaning alive. Wiktionary marks the derivation as probable rather than certain, which is worth noting given how neatly the meaning fits.
the history of Vivian
Wikipedia explains the name's survival into modern use directly: it belonged to two early Christian female martyrs and to a male saint and bishop, and that religious currency carried it forward. In Arthurian romance the Lady of the Lake is variously called Viviane or Vivien, a separate literary line.
how popular is this name?
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2025 | #72 |
| 2024 | #77 |
| 2023 | #87 |
| 2022 | #104 |
| 2021 | #101 |
| 2020 | #101 |
Source: SSA National Baby Names Dataset
what are the nicknames and variants of Vivian?
Nicknames
Variants around the world
who are famous people named Vivian?
- Vivien Leigh (actress)
- Vivian Westwood (designer)
- Vivian Ward (Pretty Woman character)
what names are similar to Vivian?
what names go well with Vivian?
Sibling names that share Vivian's rhythm and register without echoing it too closely.
Last reviewed April 30, 2026 · Curated by HushName editorial
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