Vivian
Early saints' name from Latin Vīviānus, and of its feminine form Vīviāna, probably from vīvus (“alive”).
Every Vivian since 1880 — 230,755 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Vivian
Vivian is a top-100 name for girls in the United States, ranked #72 in 2025 with 3,362 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 230,755 American babies have been named Vivian. Its peak came in 1920, when 4,200 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Vivian stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Vivian year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3,362 | #72 | 5 | #13,778 |
| 2024 | 3,096 | #77 | — | — |
| 2023 | 2,808 | #87 | — | — |
| 2022 | 2,674 | #104 | 7 | #10,773 |
| 2021 | 2,695 | #101 | — | — |
| 2020 | 2,705 | #101 | — | — |
| 2019 | 2,934 | #96 | — | — |
| 2018 | 2,976 | #96 | 12 | #7,103 |
| 2017 | 3,032 | #97 | — | — |
| 2016 | 3,142 | #95 | — | — |
| 2015 | 3,204 | #95 | — | — |
| 2014 | 3,063 | #97 | 5 | #13,960 |
| 2013 | 2,651 | #120 | 7 | #10,666 |
| 2012 | 2,264 | #141 | — | — |
| 2011 | 2,022 | #153 | 5 | #14,232 |
| 2010 | 1,943 | #158 | 5 | #14,147 |
| 2009 | 1,964 | #164 | 7 | #10,915 |
| 2008 | 1,639 | #206 | 7 | #10,982 |
| 2007 | 1,640 | #210 | — | — |
| 2006 | 1,536 | #224 | 8 | #9,542 |
| 2005 | 1,560 | #223 | — | — |
| 2004 | 1,425 | #231 | — | — |
| 2003 | 1,453 | #224 | — | — |
| 2002 | 1,275 | #249 | — | — |
| 2001 | 1,020 | #312 | — | — |
| 2000 | 1,178 | #272 | — | — |
| 1995 | 867 | #317 | 11 | #5,486 |
| 1990 | 553 | #447 | 8 | #6,384 |
| 1985 | 408 | #498 | 7 | #5,756 |
| 1980 | 409 | #498 | 6 | #6,212 |
| 1975 | 423 | #453 | — | — |
| 1970 | 776 | #339 | 12 | #2,888 |
| 1965 | 1,253 | #245 | 9 | #2,972 |
| 1960 | 2,022 | #188 | 14 | #2,311 |
| 1955 | 2,357 | #154 | 21 | #1,724 |
| 1950 | 2,269 | #138 | 12 | #2,316 |
| 1945 | 2,168 | #118 | 16 | #1,769 |
| 1940 | 2,261 | #115 | 25 | #1,365 |
| 1935 | 2,124 | #112 | 31 | #1,224 |
| 1930 | 2,872 | #91 | 43 | #1,068 |
| 1925 | 3,576 | #76 | 49 | #982 |
| 1920 | 4,128 | #64 | 72 | #790 |
| 1915 | 2,857 | #78 | 46 | #924 |
| 1910 | 801 | #107 | 16 | #781 |
| 1905 | 492 | #128 | 15 | #635 |
| 1900 | 383 | #152 | 18 | #602 |
| 1895 | 216 | #183 | 16 | #527 |
| 1890 | 103 | #241 | 7 | #877 |
| 1885 | 51 | #279 | 6 | #931 |
| 1880 | 22 | #351 | 7 | #804 |
Famous people named Vivian
- Vivian Maier Photographer · 1926–2009
- Vivian Woodward Soccer player · 1879–1954
- Vivian Campbell Soccer player · b. 1962
- Vivian Hsu Actor · b. 1975
- Vivian Wu Actor · b. 1966
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Vivian mean?
Early saints' name from Latin Vīviānus, and of its feminine form Vīviāna, probably from vīvus (“alive”).
How popular is the name Vivian in 2025?
Vivian ranked #72 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 3,362 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Vivian?
230,755 babies have been named Vivian in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Vivian most popular?
Vivian peaked in 1920, when 4,200 newborns received the name.
Is Vivian a boy or girl name?
Vivian is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Vivian rising or falling?
Vivian has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Vivian?
Well-known people named Vivian include Vivian Maier (photographer), Vivian Woodward (soccer player), Vivian Campbell (soccer player).