Violet is white hot. Cadence is climbing. And Juliet is back on the charts.
Today’s choice combines elements of all three fashionable choices. Thanks to Sophie for suggesting Viola as Name of the Day.
Even before the Garner-Afflecks called their firstborn Violet, the botanical name was racing up the charts. By last year, Violet ranked #184. Viola was unranked, but she’s the original Latin word for the plant with pretty, purplish-bluish blooms. Viola became viole in Old French, and acquired the diminuite “ette” ending – violette. With flower power picks like Lily all the rage, Viola could fit right in.
She also meshes with a second trend: musical choices. Cadence, Harmony and Aria all rank in the US Top 1000. A viola is a string instrument – smaller than a cello; slightly bigger than a violin. Instead of French, we can thank the Italians for this word. It traces back to the Latin vitula. Vitula was a Roman goddess of joy. Over the years, Vitula gave us the words for the humble fiddle and the sophisticated viola. While you’ll usually hear a viola in a symphony orchestra, artists from Kansas to the Goo Goo Dolls have also employed the instrument.
Some say that vee oh la applies only to the musical term while vye oh la is reserved for living things. In practice, the line is not so neatly drawn. (Though if you’re talking to a musician, vee oh la is a safe bet.)
I’m not certain when Viola first came into use as a given name, but we can thank William Shakespeare for some of her history. In his play Twelfth Night, Viola was the shipwrecked heroine who disguises herself as a boy, becomes embroiled in a series of love triangles and somehow puts it all right in the end. Twelfth Night has given us two other popular appellations: Sebastian and Olivia.
It appears that the Bard didn’t invent Viola. Instead, the bones of Twelfth Night were borrowed from earlier works, including an Italian comedy. This likely includes the heroine’s name.
A trio of big screen uses in recent years could’ve boosted Viola:
- 1998’s Shakespeare in Love nabbed the Oscar for Best Picture. While the film was pure fiction, it featured a young William Shakespeare in love with the wealthy Viola de Lesseps, played by Gwyenth Paltrow;
- 2006’s She’s the Man translated Twelfth Night to an American high school, with the likable Amanda Bynes playing Viola;
- Viola Davis is best known for her Tony-award winning performances, but she’s also garnered recognition for her big screen roles, including an Oscar nomination for her work in 2008’s Doubt.
Lop off the V and you arrive at Iola, related to Iole – yet another word for violet, this time the Greek. They’re not quite as wearable.
But Viola might be a perfect choice. She regularly ranked in the Top 100 back in the nineteenth century. (Far outranking Violet!) And given her ties to the botanical, musical and literary worlds, Viola is truly an underused gem.
Gwen says
April 10, 2014 at 9:08 PMJust wanted to pop in and mention that Shakespeare did not, in fact, get Viola from the Italian comedy on which Twelfth Night is based, Gl’Ingannati–the heroine of that play is called Lelia. The most I could find about where Shakespeare got Viola was some conjecture that he may have heard Violetta in an Italian play and shortened it.
Sebastiane says
June 24, 2009 at 12:31 AMI love Viola. Though I pronounce it with more of a soft O sound. I say (VY-o-LAH). I am also intrigued by Vitula. That would also make a cool choice for a baby.
Lola says
June 2, 2009 at 6:19 PMOh, I love Viola! Violet was my Auntie, but Viola appeals because of Shakspeare (and the musical thing is an added plus) (Sorry I was gone for a bit, Got surprised with a mini vacation!) Time to play catch-up!
Viola is sweet, strong and all velvet to say. I absolutely love it. Violet for me, goes in the middle, but Viola would go up front! I think it would be a nice link between my oldest & youngest (if I ever have her), with Sebastian being Leo’s middle, and all. Yep, Viola gets a huge Huzzah! from me! 😀
Kate says
May 30, 2009 at 3:14 PMOhh Viola Delphine, thats lovely as does Vioal Saskia Gray. Viola is the more mysterious of the two I agree, I think Violet just tips the balance for me overall as I’m quite a fan of ‘et’ endings, although her ever increasing popularity is a little offputting…
Lucia says
May 28, 2009 at 7:41 PMIt sounds great, but keep in mind that “viola” means “rapes” in spanish (as in “el me viola” = “he rapes me”), or more widely, “violates” or “breaks” as in “el viola la ley” = “he violates/breaks the law”, so if you’re gonna name your daughter Viola, please don’t take her to any spanish-speaking country, to save her the embarrasment. Just sayin’.
Natalie says
March 9, 2016 at 10:40 PMCOPED FROM COMMENTS ON BEHINDTHENAME.COM website:
In Italy the name, which is considered very trendy and feminine nowadays, is pronounced Vee’ola (accent on the O which has an open and short sound, as in God). It means purple, and yes it it is the same name of a musical instrument, it is the name of a flower too, and was used by Shakespeare for one of his best heroines, but for sure it has nothing to do with rape as mentioned in a comment above. In Italian ‘to rape’ is ‘violare’ (Vee’olaray), quite formal and old fashioned expression anyway, the verb is more often used in its common meaning which is ‘to break the rules or the constraints’. Vìola (accent on the I for a totally different sound and word becoming ‘Veeola) corresponds to ‘he rapes’ in this case. By the way formal Italian requires that the name is written Viola and the verb Vìola, with the accent on the i. Of course the name requires the capital V which the verb does not. No possible confusions between the two for those who know the language then.
The English pronunciation, Vy-ola with the y as in sky sounds unpleasant to Italians because it strictly recalls vaiolo, which is smallpox for us, besides sounding like a deformation of a name that in our perception belongs to us, but of course it is normal that names are adapted to the pronunciation of the cultures they are imported into.
Funny how a lovely name can get nasty resonances just changing the way it is pronounced.
Lulu Bee says
May 28, 2009 at 5:36 AMI love Viola, and Violet. I can’t pick a favorite. I agree with everyone about Viola being more mysterious, while Violet is sweeter. I love the combo Viola Delphine. Having a Dash, though, I don’t think I can use either of these (Dash and Violet are the kids in The Incredibles!)
rockingfetal says
May 28, 2009 at 2:12 AMThis name has been growing on me. It was one of my grandma’s (Magina, who was NOTD :P) sisters. Violet is unusable to me thanks to my surname. Viola seems like a viable option.
Julia says
May 27, 2009 at 9:33 AMI love Viola! Mysterious and somewhat sexy, but still sweet. I’d use it instead of Violet – because it sounds less violent :). It honours my great aunt Violet, and I love the musical associations because I play the viola. Only thing is though, if I ever have kids, definitely want to call my first born girl Octavia (well, assuming my FH lets me), and Viola and Octavia sounds a bit too musical. But yes, definitely love this name! Huge thumbs up from me!
ps Sophiegray, Viola Saskia Blythe is adorable!
SophieGray says
May 27, 2009 at 7:07 AMThanks for having this a a NOTD! Viola has been either tied with Beatrix as my number 1 girls name, or slid to second for quite a while now. I think it came from a childhood like of Violet, but already having an Iris, I’ve strayed from Violet. Emmy Jo’s descriptions of the two mirror what I think of too – Violet is all sweetness to me, though still with a bit of spark (much like Clara or Elodie); whilst Viola feels like she has more depth of character, and is more mysterious (think Briseis or Aurelia).
I do love Viola, and DH adores her too, so she’s safe to stay of my lists for the next girl, if we have one! I’m stuck for combos though – nothing I have seems quite right! Viola Saskia Blythe, Viola Esme Clementine, Viola Alice Cleophee, Viola Ada Primrose.. they all seem a little ‘off’
Emmy Jo says
May 27, 2009 at 3:55 AMViola is very pretty. However, being an elementary school teacher, I can’t help but thinking of Viola Swamp — the mean substitute teacher in the “Miss Nelson is Missing” books. I don’t think that’s a common association anymore, though. Those books were more popular when I was a kid than they are now.
Violet and Viola have a very different feel to me. Violet is sweet, innocent, and shy. Viola seems more dark, sultry, and mysterious. Both are lovely, and Viola is more exciting, but Violet seems more “me.”
Kat says
May 27, 2009 at 2:35 AMHooray – another Shakespearean name! I get so excited. 🙂
I love this name, and it’s on the list for us, but I get so tripped up in how it should be pronounced. I know you cover this in your article, but regardless of the music vs. human references I can never decide what I think sounds better – VIE-o-la or vee-OH-la. I don’t care for the pronunciation vie-OH-la because it reminds me of the awful character of Iola on Mama’s Family. 🙁 Stupid, I know, but it’s there.
Sharmila says
May 27, 2009 at 12:02 AMI’ve been thinking about Viola for awhile — it would honor my sister (we call her Lola). I’ve never really liked Lola for myself much, but Viola’s different. She’s similar to Violet, which I love, and I have a soft spot for Shakespearean names. I just somehow don’t seem to like her as much as I do Violet, though. She doesn’t seem as charismatic. But, a string player myself, I’d love to see her on someone else’s child!
JNE says
May 26, 2009 at 9:57 PMHmmm, the husband’s first reaction: Herbert Viola – the uber-nerdy character on Moonlighting. His mind can be a scary place sometimes… I doubt that would put anyone else on earth off of the name.
photoquilty says
May 27, 2009 at 1:39 AMI was thinking the same exact thing! But I didn’t think anyone else would know what I was talking about. 😉
JNE says
May 26, 2009 at 9:53 PMI really like Viola. Not sure I would use it with my Imogen because it’s all extremely Shakespeare in our house then and rather unintentionally so. (I also have a dog named Hamlet, and NOT really related to the Bard’s character – dog looks and sounds like a pig – I wanted “Piglet” and husband said “no” so I thought, pig, ham, what about Hamlet? He said OK and thereby our dog is Hamlet). But, it’s a very pretty name, I like the play – it’s a fun one, and I’m OK with the nickname Vi (although it doesn’t have a lot of other options for nns). I would love to meet a little VIola – I actually prefer it quite a bit to Violet (which always sounds a little like violent in my head). Yes to Viola!
Kat says
May 27, 2009 at 2:40 AM(which always sounds a little like violent in my head)
not to mention Hole’s song “Violet”, which interchangeably uses the words “violent” and “violet”, plus it’s a pretty violently sung song. 🙂 I love Hole, so I can’t see Violet without thinking early Courtney Love, punk rock, and possibly purple hair. In fact, every Violet I’ve ever known in real life is a bit of a non-conformist. Are there any Violets out there who are just, you know, status quo?
Lulu Bee says
May 28, 2009 at 5:30 AMI know one Violet (well, Violetta, but she goes by Violet) and she definitely is a non-conformist. I would consider that a positive, though.
photoquilty says
May 26, 2009 at 8:56 PMLove it. Love, love love it. However, with my last name, any -la ending is no good.
Natalie says
May 26, 2009 at 7:50 PMLove Viola, she is so lyrical and nice to say.
I love Shakespeare’s names, they are all great.
Might I suggest the name Morwenna as NOTD if you are needing one.