Vivian
Girl name · #70 in 2025 · Uniqueness 35/100
Vivian ranks #70 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 3,362 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #95, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 535 girls born in 2025 was named Vivian.
Babies named Vivian per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Vivian first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 22 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1920, when 4,128 girls were named Vivian — good for #64 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 Vivian against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Vivian in class?
Vivian scores 35 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 Vivian is most common
Geography matters for names, and Vivian is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Vivians were TX (253), OH (201), CA (179), MI (163), NY (149). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Vivian
Statistically, parents drawn to Vivian tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Lillian, Clara, Alice, Ruby, and Esther.
LillianClaraAliceRubyEstherJosephineElsieVera
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Vivian | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3,362 | #70 |
| 2024 | 3,096 | #77 |
| 2023 | 2,808 | #87 |
| 2022 | 2,674 | #104 |
| 2021 | 2,695 | #100 |
| 2020 | 2,705 | #101 |
| 2019 | 2,934 | #96 |
| 2018 | 2,976 | #96 |
| 2017 | 3,032 | #97 |
| 2016 | 3,142 | #95 |
| 2015 | 3,204 | #95 |
| 2014 | 3,063 | #97 |
| 2013 | 2,651 | #120 |
| 2012 | 2,264 | #141 |
| 2011 | 2,022 | #153 |
| 2010 | 1,943 | #158 |
| 2009 | 1,964 | #164 |
| 2008 | 1,639 | #206 |
| 2007 | 1,640 | #210 |
| 2006 | 1,536 | #224 |
| 2005 | 1,560 | #223 |
| 2004 | 1,425 | #231 |
| 2003 | 1,453 | #224 |
| 2002 | 1,275 | #249 |
| 2001 | 1,020 | #312 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Vivian a popular girl name?
Vivian ranked #70 among girls in 2025 with 3,362 babies given the name — firmly in the top 100, so yes, it’s a popular choice. Ten years earlier it ranked #95.
When was the name Vivian most popular?
Vivian peaked in 1920, when 4,128 American girls received the name (ranked #64 that year). Since 1920 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Vivian?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 535 newborn American girls was named Vivian. It scores 35/100 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.