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The short answer
Eva is a feminine name that Behind the Name describes as the "form of Eve used in various languages", noting that this form appears in the Latin translation of the New Testament while Hava is used in the Latin Old Testament. Eve itself comes from the Hebrew name Ḥawwa, from ḥawa ("to breathe") or the related ḥaya ("to live"). Behind the Name's Eve entry adds that in the English-speaking world both Eve and Eva were revived in the 19th century, "with the latter being more common". It is pronounced EE-və in English and EH-vah in Spanish, German and most other languages. In the United States it ranked #134 for girls in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
Behind the Name gives Eva as the "form of Eve used in various languages", adding: "This form is used in the Latin translation of the New Testament, while Hava is used in the Latin Old Testament." It lists the root as ḥawa and records usage in Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, English, Czech, Slovak, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Estonian, Danish, Icelandic, Faroese, Romanian, Greek, Slovene, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Croatian, Serbian, Russian, Georgian, Armenian, Biblical Latin and Old Church Slavic; it is also an alternate transcription of Russian Ева (Yeva). Behind the Name's Eve entry supplies the meaning: "from the Hebrew name חַוָּה (Ḥawwa), which was derived from the Hebrew word חָוָה (ḥawa) meaning 'to breathe' or the related word חָיָה (ḥaya) meaning 'to live'", and recounts that in Genesis Eve and Adam were the first humans. The Eva entry names the Argentine first lady Eva Perón (1919-1952), subject of the musical Evita, and the character Little Eva in Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852), "whose real name is in fact Evangeline".
Editorial confidence: established
Linguistic roots
| Language | Form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Biblical Latin | Eva | Latin New Testament form of Eve |
| Hebrew | Ḥawwa (חַוָּה) | from ḥawa 'to breathe' or ḥaya 'to live' |
Popularity
Eva ranked #134 for girls in the United States in 2025 (Social Security Administration). Behind the Name's Eve entry notes that Eva became the more common of the two forms when both were revived in the English-speaking world in the 19th century; no non-US rankings were consulted for this draft.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #134 | ssa-2025 |
Nicknames, variants, and related names
Nicknames: Evie, Evvie, Eveleen, Evita, Evi, Evy, Eef, Eefje, Evica
Variants: Eve, Ava, Avah, Aviana, Avianna, Ewa, Eeva, Eevi, Yeva, Hava
Related names: Evangeline, Chava, Hawa, Havva, Ieva, Éabha, Efa, Éva
What the name feels like
Eva is short, international and unfussy: two syllables that work in almost any European language without changing spelling. It reads as classic rather than trendy, and its overlap with Ava gives it a familiar sound while staying the less common of the two.
Style tags: classic, biblical, international, two syllables, form of Eve
Editorial interpretation: These style impressions and the name suggestions below are editorial opinion, not linguistic fact. The nickname and variant lists are drawn from the diminutives and variants Behind the Name gives across the languages in which Eva is used; the pronunciation display combines the English and Spanish IPA given by Behind the Name.
If you like this name
Other forms of Eve, and short classics with a similar sound.
Similar by meaning
Similar by sound
Similar by style
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Eva mean?
Eva is a form of Eve. Eve comes from the Hebrew name Ḥawwa, derived from ḥawa ("to breathe") or the related word ḥaya ("to live"), according to Behind the Name.
How do you pronounce Eva?
In English Eva is usually pronounced EE-və (IPA /ˈiː.və/). In Spanish, German, Dutch, Swedish, Greek and most other languages it is EH-vah, according to the pronunciations Behind the Name lists.
Is Eva a popular name?
Eva ranked #134 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Eva — supports definition (form of Eve), Latin Bible note, usage in many languages, pronunciations, diminutives and variants, Eva Perón and Little Eva.
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Eve — supports Hebrew meaning ('to breathe' / 'to live'), Genesis account, 19th-century revival of Eve and Eva in English.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
