Viola
Girl name · #1014 in 2025 · Uniqueness 57/100
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, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
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?
Viola scores 57 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Viola is most common
Geography matters for names, and Viola is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Violas were TX (17), CA (15), MI (14), NY (14), PA (14). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
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
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. It scores 57/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.