BABY NAMES

There are some really beautiful girl names that start with V.
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Viviacious & Venerable Girl Names That Start With V

It’s not a common letter to start a name, but it’s a good one!

by Jamie Kenney
Updated: 
Originally Published: 

When it comes to baby names, some letters get more love than others. “E” names (Evelyn, Emma, Elizabeth), “A” names (Ava, Amelia, Abigail), and “S” names (Sophia, Scarlett, Stella) all get lots of play these days. But girl names that start with “V”? Not so much. And it’s time to change that up.

On the Social Security Administrations latest list of baby names, there are only three “V” girl names in the top 100 names of 2021Violet (#35), Victoria (#43), and Valentina (#69). Among the top 1,000 names listed? Only 18 girl names that begin with “V” (compared to 17 “A” names for girls in the Top 100 alone)! Honestly? I don’t get it. There are so many good “V” names for girls. In fact, I had trouble narrowing it down to this list.

When it comes to letters and the sounds they make, “V” is not exactly universal. Many languages don’t have a “V” sound, so a lot of the names on this list come from Indo-European languages. But what these names lack in universal pronouncability they make up for in fabulousness. Yes, these unique “V” names for girls are full of vim and vigor (incidentally, please don’t name your baby Vim or Vigor... there are much better choices out there). There’s also something luxurious about the “V” sound (maybe because of Queen Victoria?) and I think you’ll find a girl name that starts with “V” that you love.

1Violet

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The name Violet looked like it was on its way out by the 1980s, but in recent years it’s made a glorious comeback and is more popular than ever (but not too popular). In the language of flowers, violets symbolize innocence and are the birth flower for the month of February. Vi is also a super cute nickname, along with Lettie.

2Violaine

Violaine is a somewhat obscure Middle French version of the name Violet — pronounced vee-oh-LEN — and is a beautiful spin on the more traditional floral name.

3Veronica

The Latin name Veronica means “she who brings victory” and gives off a vibe that’s at once sophisticated and sassy.

4Vivica

The name Vivica comes to us from Scandinavian languages and means “alive” or “war fortress,” which is perfect for your wee warrior baby.

5Vanessa

It’s not often that we know exactly where a name came from, but in this case we know that the name Vanessa was invented by satirist Jonathan Swift in 1713. He was in need of a name for a heroine in his poem, so he combined the first three letters of his girlfriend Esther “Essa” Vanhomrigh: Van-Essa! After it was bestowed on a species of butterfly, the name now means “butterfly.”

6Valerie

This French “V” name of Valerie ultimately comes from Latin and means strong, valorous, and fierce. You could put a more classical spin on it and go with Valeria.

7Valen

I think this Latin-derived, gender-neutral name of Valen hits all the notes: unique but classic, intuitively spelled, and beautiful. And the meaning — strong and healthy — isn’t bad either!

8Valentina

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Like Valen, the more feminine Valentina also means “health and strong” and can be found in languages throughout Europe, from Spain to Russia and lots of places in-between.

9Vivienne

There is no shortage of ways to spell this Latin-derived name of Vivienne meaning “alive” — Vivian, Vivien, Vyvyan — but I especially like this very French version. Vivi is also a super cute nickname and could even stand alone.

10Vera

This Slavic name of Vera means “faith.” While most popular at the turn of the 20th century, it’s been rising in the ranks of popular baby names lately and I definitely think it’s due for a true comeback.

11Victoria

A name fit for a little queen, Victoria means, as you might imagine, “victorious.”

12Virginia

Coming from the Latin surname “Virginius” which means maiden or virgin, the name Virginia is often associated with the state, which was named for Queen Elizabeth I, the Virgin Queen.

13Vienna

The city of Vienna in Austria has long been a center of art and culture and has been graced with the title “City of Music,” as it was home to famous composers like Mozart and Beethoven. A baby girl named Vienna is just lovely.

14Violeta

Violeta is a cute, extra dainty version of the name Violet, and is common in countries throughout Europe, including Spain, Italy, and Bulgaria. It’s a super sweet girl name that starts with “V.”

15Veda

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This beautiful Sanskrit name of Veda means “knowledge” or “wisdom.”

16Viola

Another form of “violet” or “purple,” the name Viola is maybe most famous for being given to Shakespeare’s heroine in Twelfth Night.

17Venus

The Roman goddess of love and beauty bore this name of Venus and so did Our Lady of the Court, Venus Williams.

18Valkyrie

How bad*ss of a girl’s name that starts with “V” is Valkyrie? In Norse mythology, a valkyrie is an ethereal being who guides slain warriors to the halls of Valhalla, aka Warrior Heaven. Speaking of which...

19Valhalla

While not a typical first name: why not? Valhalla is pretty, has an awesome meaning, and if she totally hates it, she can just go by Val!

20Vanna

Vanna is a name that appears in a number of cultures. In Italian, “Vanna” is a derivative of Giovanna which means “God is Gracious.” In Russian, it’s a shorter version of Ivanna (also meaning “God is gracious”). In Hebrew it means “God’s gift,” and in Cambodian, it is a unisex name that means “golden.”

21Victory

This one is probably self-explanatory, right? Victory is a gorgeous name for a little girl, and is an especiall nice “V” name for baby girls if their birthday lines up with some kind of victorious day or anniversary.

22Valor

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Valor means “courage in the face of battle” and I think this is a great attribute for anybody, especially a tough little girl!

23Varina

Coming to us from Slavic languages, Varina means “foreigner.” It has a very sweet sound as a girl name that starts with “V.”

24Vega

More often than not, Vega is a last name. It is of Spanish origin and means “dweller of the meadow.”

25Vita

Vita comes to us from Latin and means “life.” Because of its sweet simplicity, it is used throughout Europe as a girl’s name that starts with “V.”

26Verity

This English name of Verity comes from Latin and means “truth.” It’s a great “virtue” name, like Grace, Comfort, or Hope. Speaking of which...

27Vibha

This Sanskrit name of Vibha is pronounced “vi-BAH” and means “shining” or “bright.”

28Virtue

Because why not!? Virtue is a noble characteristic to have, and it makes for a darling girl’s name that starts with “V.”

29Vale

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An old, poetic word meaning valley, I think Vale is a sweet, unique name for a baby girl (or boy, honestly).

30Velma

Maybe you’re a really big fan of the brains behind Mystery Inc. (Why does Scooby get all the credit? He’s a dog and also probably high.) Or maybe you think Velma is just a unique name that deserves more love. It comes to us as a nickname for the German boys name Wilhelm and means (roughly) “determined protector.”

31Verna

I love this “V” girl name of Verna because of its meaning: springtime! Think “VERNAl equinox,” aka the first day of spring. Perfect for a springtime baby girl!

32Vincentina

The feminine version of the male name Vincent, Vincentina means “to conquer.”

33Venisha

Venisha is a fun twist on the name Vanessa and likewise means “butterfly.”

34Valencia

A place name that comes from the beautiful port city in southern Spain known for its love of art and science, Valencia is a great girl name that starts with “V” if you’re into romantic cities and/or traveling.

35Verona

Another place name, Verona is a city in Italy and is perhaps best known around the world as the setting for Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.

36Vesper

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While this “V” girl name is not commonly given as a name, I absolutely love the way it sounds and what it means. In Latin, Vesper means “evening.” In European Christian tradition, “vespers” were evening prayers. How sweet is that?

37Vaidehi

Pronounced “vy-day-hee,” this Indian name of Vaidehi is used as an alternate name for Sita, a main character from Hindu epic Ramayana.

38Vara

Vara is another name with global renown in that it pops up in a variety of unrelated or loosely related languages, but ultimately appears to derive from Greek and means “stranger.”

39Vaanya

This beautiful Indian name of Vaanya means “from the forest,” and I love it for families that make getting out in nature a priority.

40Vesta

Another Latin inspired name, Vesta was the Roman goddess of the hearth and home.

41Varsha

Hindi for “rain,” I love that the name Varsha at once sounds familiar and exciting.

42Vaila

I love the name Vaila because it’s a less commonly used place name — Vaila is an Island in Shetland, Scotland and has been inhabited since Neolithic times. It’s a gorgeous girl name that starts with “V” if your family has Scottish roots.

43Vashti

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If you celebrate Purim, this “V” name for girls of Vashti might be familiar as the name of the defiant queen of king Ahsuerus who went on to marry Esther. This Persian name means “goodness.”

44Vika

This spin on Victoria, Vika, means “victory.”

45Vasilia

This Greek “V” name of Vasilia is perfect for regal little girls as it means “royal.”

Happy naming, everybody! There’s plenty of girl names that start with “V” to consider for your own little victorious babe.

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