Viola
Girl name · #1014 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Viola? In official American birth records, Viola has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Viola is currently the #1014 girl name in the United States — 247 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1266, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 7,287 girls born in 2025 was named Viola.
Babies named Viola per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Viola first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 229 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1918, when 4,331 girls were named Viola — good for #59 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Viola against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Viola in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Viola is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Viola will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Viola is most common
Geography matters for names, and Viola is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Viola is most common in MO (0.4 per 1,000), MI (0.4 per 1,000), PA (0.3 per 1,000), OH (0.2 per 1,000), NY (0.2 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.2 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Viola is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Viola
Statistically, parents drawn to Viola tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Della, Lula, Carmela, Agnes, and Carmella.
DellaLulaCarmelaAgnesCarmellaLuellaLeoraZella
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Viola | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 247 | #1013 |
| 2024 | 202 | #1184 |
| 2023 | 233 | #1066 |
| 2022 | 249 | #1030 |
| 2021 | 210 | #1162 |
| 2020 | 216 | #1118 |
| 2019 | 234 | #1075 |
| 2018 | 214 | #1141 |
| 2017 | 212 | #1160 |
| 2016 | 223 | #1137 |
| 2015 | 192 | #1266 |
| 2014 | 194 | #1248 |
| 2013 | 181 | #1292 |
| 2012 | 169 | #1379 |
| 2011 | 135 | #1598 |
| 2010 | 117 | #1762 |
| 2009 | 116 | #1838 |
| 2008 | 97 | #2092 |
| 2007 | 101 | #2015 |
| 2006 | 99 | #2003 |
| 2005 | 61 | #2731 |
| 2004 | 53 | #2965 |
| 2003 | 60 | #2638 |
| 2002 | 58 | #2642 |
| 2001 | 44 | #3142 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Viola?
In official American birth records, the name Viola first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 229 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Viola a popular girl name?
Viola ranked #1014 among girls in 2025 with 247 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1266.
When was the name Viola most popular?
Viola peaked in 1918, when 4,331 American girls received the name (ranked #59 that year). Since 1918 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Viola?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 7,287 newborn American girls was named Viola. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.