These 24 Baby Names Are Beautiful Alternatives To Ava

The baby name Sophia is nearly as popular as Ava, taking the number five spot on the SSA’s list of most popular baby girl names in 2020, just two spots behind Ava. Both names have an elegant appeal and end with a soft “ah” sound. Sophia is of Greek origin and means “wisdom.”

Like the baby name Ava, Cora is a short, but vowel-filled baby girl name. Similarly to Ava, Cora can also be lengthened by adding “lyn” to the end as a more formal version of the name. Cora is a name of Greek origin and means “maiden.”

From Wilde to Colman, Munn, and Rodrigo, there are plenty of famous Olivias in the present-day pop culture spotlight. If you’re inspired by these strong women, Olivia is a popular baby name that’s similar in nature to Ava.

If you like that the baby name Ava has a Latin origin that means “bird,” you might consider the name of an actual type of bird as a potential moniker for your newborn. Raven is a gender neutral baby name that means ”wise” or “dark haired,” so it’s especially ideal for babies born with a swath of dark hair on their head.

Similar to Ava in sound and syllable-length, Emma means "universal," which is fitting for such a popular name.

Similar to Ava, Eva is a short baby name that has the letter "v" sandwiched by two vowels at the beginning and end. Also like Ava, the name Eva is a derivative of the Hebrew name Eve, which means "life.”

The beginning of the baby name Avery has the same root sound as the name Ava, making it a wonderful choice if a name that sounds similar to Ava is music to your ears. You can also use alternative spellings for Avery such as Averie or Averi to make it more unique.

Just like the baby name Ava, the name Evelyn means "water" or "island," so it's meaning has a similar tropical feel. However, Evelyn is of English origin. Unlike Ava, there are alternate ways to spell Evelyn including Evaline, Evalyn, and Eveline, so the name offers a bit more versatility.

If you love the baby name Ava and are also fond of the name Evelyn, combining the two into the name Avalyn might be an option for you.

Ella has been in the top 20 most popular baby girl names in the U.S. since 2008. The shortened version of Eleanor or Ellen, Ella can mean "light," "other," or "all" depending on which origin of the name you look at.

Lovers of baby names with just three letters can turn to Eve as an alternative to Ava. By simply inserting an "e" where each "a" appears in Ava, you get another short and sweet moniker that rolls right off the tongue. Plus, there's hope that your little one might master writing their own name sooner rather than later since they just have to learn to write two letters to do so.

Since one of the meanings of the baby name Ava is bird, those who love this particular meaning may find the name of an actual bird to be an attractive name choice. Robin was a popular baby girl name throughout the ‘80s, but the name actually saw peak popularity from 1953 to 1979, waffling between the top 30 and top 90 most popular names, per the SSA.

Also in the bird family, Wren might be just the name you're searching for if you love the meaning of the baby name Ava.

Aya is another short, vowel-filled name choice for parents who are considering Ava, but aren't sold on giving their baby a hugely popular moniker. The name Aya means "colorful one" in Japanese, but also has roots in other cultures including Native American and German.

As any Game of Thrones fan would tell you, the name Arya is one full of strength and power that has surged in popularity over the past few years. A Sanskirt name meaning "noble," Arya is similar in sound and structure to Ava, but offers a bit more gusto and vibrato.

Baby names that could be deemed "old-fashioned" or "grandma-like" are often the ones with the most timeless appeal, and Ida (although similar enough to Ava) has this quality. Legendary civil rights leader Ida B. Wells boasts the classic name, so using Ida as your baby's name would most certainly put her in the company of greatness.

If you're looking for a baby name that offers a similar spunky appeal to Ava, Mia is a spirited alternative. Mia means "beloved" in Scandinavian. The name is also shared by soccer legend Mia Hamm, the iconic actress Mia Farrow, and was the name of Anne Hathaway's treasured character in The Princess Diaries.

German for "noble," the baby name Ada is an easy switch from a name like Ava. Replacing the "v" with a "d," you can have a similar-sounding name to Ava with a completely different meaning.

The baby name Bria is a derivative of the Italian word "brio" which means "liveliness and vigor.” Like Ava, it's a short, sassy moniker that is quick to say and sounds downright peppy. Bria can also be used as a nickname for a longer, more traditional name like Bridgette or Brianna.

I will never hear the name Clara and not think of the character from The Nutcracker. This stately name offers a more lyrical style than Ava, but still has a similar sound to it. Clara is Latin for "bright" or "clear.”

A variation of the Hebrew name Davina, the name Daviana is of Scottish origin and means "beloved.” Although it might seem like quite a stretch from Ava, the name Daviana has both the letter "a" and "v" within it and ends in the same vowel sound.

The baby name Lila is derived from the Arabic word for "night," but also has roots in the Sanskrit language meaning "play.” Like Ava, Lila is a short, two-syllable name and can be used as a nickname for longer, more formal names like Lillian.

Since the name Myra has never been particularly popular (per SSA data), it's fair to say that Myra is a beautiful choice if you want a name that is similar in sound to Ava but not overly used.

Grey's Anatomy fans may recognize Zola as the name of the baby girl that characters Meredith Grey and Derek Shepherd adopted in season 8 of the show. Short, sassy, and vowel-filled, Zola is a fantastic choice for parents who love the appeal of Ava but want something more unique.