Viola

The first name Viola, originating from Latin, means "the violet" and belongs to a genus of plants that includes the pansy. In the Italian language, the term Viola is also used for the musical instrument viola.

What does the name Viola mean?

Viola is a girl's name whose Latin meaning is "the violet." This genus of plants includes, among others, the pansy. The name likely spread due to William Shakespeare's play "Twelfth Night" from 1601, in which the girl Viola plays a central role. In Germany, Viola is one of the popular and timeless girl names. Besides the German-speaking area, the name is also common in English and Italian contexts. Variants of Viola include Violet (English), Violett, Violette (French), Violetta (Italian), Violeta (Spanish, Romanian), Ibolya (Hungarian), Fjóla (Icelandic, Faroese), as well as Wioleta and Wioletta (Polish).

Where does the name Viola come from?

The name Viola has Latin roots and means "the violet." The Latin formation is viola for "the violet." The name is common in the languages German, English, and Italian.

How do you pronounce Viola?

The pronunciation of Viola is melodic and three syllables. In German, the name is usually pronounced as "Vi-o-la" [viˈoːla], with the first syllable starting with a clear I sound. The second syllable has a long O sound that conveys a rounded tone. The open ending "-a" gives the name a gentle touch. Viola sounds sonorous and classic and has a harmonious structure with a fine radiance.

When is the name day of Viola?

The name day for Viola is celebrated on May 3.

Popularity

In Germany, the name Viola enjoys high popularity. Currently, it ranks 233rd on the list of the most common female first names. Its best ranking was in 2010 at 226th place. In the last ten years, Viola has been given as a first name about 2,200 times, which places it 284th in the ten-year statistics. From 2010 to 2024, it ranks 288th.

Nicknames & pet names

Jola / Jolante / Jolanthe / Jolchen / Joola / Liona / Lola / Lolchen / Loli / Lolli / Lollipop / Majole / Ola / Olchen / Oli / Ravioli / Vi / Via / Vila / Vilcsi / Villi / Vilou / Vilu / Vily / Vio / Violchen / Violi / Violichen / Violili / Violina / Violine / Violoncello / Violone / Vioninchen / Viv / Viva / Vivi / Vivibäe / Vivo / Vivvi / Vola / Volli / Volvic

Similar first names

Famous people

• Anne Viola Siebert (German archaeologist)
• Elly-Viola Nahmmacher (German sculptor)
• Viola (character name of Jane Fonda in ''Monster-in-Law'')
• Viola (botany) (violet)
• Viola (music) (viola)
• Viola Alvarez (* 1971), German writer and dramaturge)
• Viola Bauer (cross-country skier)
• Viola Bayley (writer from Great Britain)
• Viola Bor Chepketing (long-distance runner from Kenya)
• Viola Compton (British actress)
• Viola Dana (1897–1987), American silent film actress)
• Viola Davis (American actress)
• Viola Elisabeth von Teschen (1290–1317) Bohemian and Hungarian queen)
• Viola Engelbrecht (German jazz musician)
• Viola Gertrude Wells (1904–1984) American blues singer)
• Viola Grahl (hockey player)
• Viola Gregg Liuzzo (1925–1965) American civil rights activist)
• Viola Harris (American actress)
• Viola Lawrence (1894–1973) American film editor)
• Viola Leger (American actress)