Ava

There are different versions of the name’s origin. According to the latest one, this name can be considered American, but it is also used in Europe. The name Ava appeared in top lists of the most popular American female names at the end of the 20th century and gained popularity in the twinkling of an eye. For example, in 1998 the name leapt up from the 618th to the 350th position, and in 2005 it became the fifth among the most popular American female names. As for 2017, Ava has already gone up to the third position and is gaining more and more popularity among the Americans.

The name Ava is popular not only in the USA. In Canada, Great Britain, Australia, and New Zealand this name is in the top 10 of the most popular female names. Perhaps, its popularity is a trend. Over almost 50 years (from 1900 to 1945) it had been taking up the positions from 418 to 842 in the top list in the USA, and by 1984 it went down to its lowest 988th position because people almost lost interest to it. However, in 1997 it suddenly reached the 618th position and rose up to 350th next year. Six years later the name Ava was already among the top ten leaders among female names.

It is likely that one of the factors that influenced the name’s popularity in the English-speaking countries, especially in the USA, was that a famous guitar player from a rock band Bon Jovi called his daughter, born in 1997, Ava. And another famous couple, Ryan Phillippe and Reese Witherspoon who starred in the 1999 film Cruel Intentions heightened people’s interest to this name by also calling their daughter Ava.

The rising tide of interest may also be related to the name of another famous actress, Ava Gardner. In 1950s in the USA people became interested in this name because of her. At that time, this name rose up to the 376th position, but by the beginning of the 70s it was quickly forgotten.

The name Ava had already been known in the USA before the beginning of the 20th century. Women in the family of famous American millionaires, the Astor family, also had this name. The wife of John Jacob Astor IV was called Ava, née Willing, (a direct descendant of Benedict Arnold V who fought in the American War of Independence), and their daughter, future Princess Obolensky, had this name, too; she was called Ava Alice Astor. All women with the name Ava were society women.

The name Ava is of German origin. It is one of the modern versions of the German Awa that can be written in different ways (Avo, Awa, Auwo, Ouwo, Ouvo, Owo, Ovo, Ova) and doesn’t have a precise meaning, but there are a lot of different variants of pronunciation: Ava, Afa, Avo, Auwo, Ovo. The element “aw/av-” was used in some German names in the VIII-IX centuries, for example, Avagisa, Avuldis, Awanpurc, Auwanildis, with the meaning “flowing water” or, from the Gothic awō, “grandmother”.

The daughter of Pepin II, King of Aquitaine (a historical region in south-western France) in 838-852, also had the name Ava. She was a catholic saint. Ava’s saint’s day in on the 29th April.

It is possible that a Breton name Aveline, which later became an English name Evelyn, was based on the name Ava. In this case, the name Ava has an identical meaning “living”, “vitality”, and “life”.

The name Ava can also be one of the variations of the pronunciation and spelling of the name Eva. In some countries the name Eva is pronounced like Efa, Ava, or Hava.

Contemporary pronunciation of the name Ava can vary from Eywa and Aava to Ava and Afa. The name sounded like Eywa in the movie Avatar (2009) where the mother goddess embodying life on the whole planet was named like that.

Also, the name Ava can be used as a diminutive form of many other names, such as Avgusta, Avgustina, Aviya, Avenira, Avreliya, Avreya, Aurora, Aviafa, Aventina. It can be used as a short form of some male names too, including Avram, Avgust, Avdey, Avel, Avrelian, and others.

A woman with the name Ava is nice and attractive, she can be charming and she wants to please people, and to be loved in return. Emotionally, she is quite sensitive, sympathetic, and attentive, she is willing to put a lot of efforts into peace and harmony in her own world. Ava likes to observe beauty, to admire the works of art, but not only that. She also tries to care about her appearance and she does that perfectly – Ava surrounds herself with beauty down to the tiniest details.

Hypersensitivity is one of her weakest points, which can, combined with her active imagination, lead to emotional outbursts and aggression. Ava expects her family to ensure her safety and protection that are necessary for her emotional balance and well-being. She is a simple and sociable person who enjoys life. Communication is one of the pleasures available for her, so she communicates easily and charmingly, with tact and humor.

There is something fragile and shy about this girl who is susceptible to addiction. The latter encourages her to achieve great and magnificent things. Ava may try to achieve her own goals by developing her strong sides, such as patience, perfectionism, and certain determination that shows in her personal interest in achieving results. And it does not mean that in the end it will be all smooth and successful. There is another option: she can decide to hide in her inner world of dreams and imagination where laziness and hesitation prevail. Maybe, Ava will find comfort in her lover’s arms making up for the lack of her own ambitions.

In childhood Ava can be a bit vigorous and excessive in her wishes, although usually she is rather shy. This girl is impressionable and dependent on her company. She must be taught responsibility and independence as early as possible. It is her parents who will help her feel secure by always telling her the truth without any embellishment. They should be careful not to become too protective, as this child knows how to soften her parents, so they might be tempted to indulge her every whim in order to avoid drama, tears, or hysterics. This would be a big mistake that will only aggravate the hidden tendencies and contribute to her further infantilization. Ava requires a lot of love and affection. She can find other, less healthy ways to attract her parents’ attention.

A woman named Ava enjoys communicating and is always ready to cooperate. Love is very important for Ava, it’s the most important emotional element of her life. Family is the key to Ava’s life. There are two possibilities: she can either become a perfect housewife and an emotionally mature mother, or she will reject motherhood and remain slightly immature, relying too much on other people.

Since Ava is a very impressionable woman, home environment can significantly influence her future. If it affects her favorably, Ava can achieve great professional success in humanities or in arts. In the contrary case, the woman with this name will devote herself to different consultations, especially related to child care, medicine, healthcare, and social services. Ecology, esthetics, arts (painting, drama, literature), and crafts (embroidery, weaving, etc.) can also interest her. Sometimes, but not too often, Ava can become involved in the fields requiring accuracy and thoroughness (finance, management, logistics).

Famous people named Ava

• Ava Max (born in 1994, the real name is Amanda Koci) – an American singer and songwriter.
• Ava Kolker (born in 2006) – an actress and model of American fame. Participated in the film "Girl Meets World", “Scary Movie 5”, “The Trials of Cate McCall”, “Miss Meadows”, “Insidious: The Last Key”. Received the award in 2016 as the best actress (Young Entertainer Awards).
• Ava Gardner (1922 - 1990) – an American actress, Hollywood star, 40s and 50s of the twentieth century. Person from the list of greatest movie stars in Hollywood history. Was nominated for an Oscar.
• Ava Fabian (born in 1962) – an American fashion model, also an actress and restaurateur.
• Ava DuVernay (born in 1972) – an American director, screenwriter.
• Ava Lee (born in 1985, the real name is Haley Carlin) – an English singer (reggae).
• Ava Kuyken (born in 2001) – an English football player.

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