The baby name Victoria is regal, grand, and still nicely wearable.
Thanks to Kristin for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day.
WHAT DOES THE NAME VICTORIA MEAN?
In Latin, victoria means victory. Roman mythology gave us a goddess by the name. The Greek goddess Nike is her equivalent in the pantheon, predating the sneaker company by more than two millennia.
It comes from the a form of vincere – to overcome or to conquer.
Victor and Victorius were familiar male names in the ancient world, while Victoria remained uncommon.
Our word victory came to English via the French victorie.
SAINT VICTORIA
Besides the Roman goddess of victory, a handful of ancient saint Victorias appear in the record.
In the first century AD, Victoria was a servant martyred with her master. Then two sisters, Anatoliaand Victoria, both refused marriage to non-Christians and eventually died for their faith, too. Another Saint Victoria appears in 304, also martyred.
None of them were so famous, though, to push their name into widespread use.
QUEEN VICTORIA
She’s not just a queen, she’s an era.
Before we get to the 1837 ascension of the young queen, it’s worth noting that the name had been royal elsewhere in Europe – and history – previously.
Victoria – also known as Vitruvia – ruled a breakaway kingdom from the Roman Empire in the late 200s.
Victoria filtered into use through the Germans. The future queen’s mother was born Princess Marie LuiseVictoria of Saxe-Coburg-Sallfeld, but known as Victoria. Victoralso surfaces in various branches of the family tree.
The name was very rare in English until Victoria’s reign.
Princess AlexandrinaVictoria, daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Kent, was fifth in line to the throne when she was born in 1819.
Over the next dozen years, a series of deaths and the birth of no new heirs meant that the princess became the queen in 1837.
It was her wish to drop her first name in favor of her middle.
And so the reign of Queen Victoria began, and an era was born.
The queen ruled for over 63 years, gave birth to nine children, and oversaw an empire. In her six and a half decades on the throne, England experienced increasing prosperity, and while Victoria was not always popular, she is generally credited with presenting a more approachable version of the monarchy, one centered on family.
Her legacy is considerable. Plenty of places bear her name. The Victoria Cross is the highest military honor in Great Britain. And the general air of moral restraint associated with the era gives Victorian another meaning – a synonym for prudish, though that’s an oversimplification for a time of complex social change.
VICTORIA IN THE UNITED STATES
US popularity data is first reported for the year 1880. The Victorian era extended in 1901, so it’s very possible that the monarch influenced parents’ naming choices in the United States.
As a given name, Victoria has always ranked in the US Top 1000. Some spikes in use are tied to the queen; others to the name’s powerful meaning; and sometimes to other factors.
- In the year of Victoria’s death, the name charted at #143, a slight increase from prior years.
- In 1945, at the conclusion of World War II, Victoria jumped to #106.
- Victoria entered the US Top 100 in 1949, possibly boosted by 1948’s ballet-centered film The Red Shoes, starring ballerina Moira Shearer.
INTERNATIONAL NAME
Variations of the baby name Victoria are heard in nearly many different languages, including nearly every one in Europe.
- Victoria is used in Spanish.
- Viktoria-with-a-k is more common in German, Scandinavian languages, and Slavic ones, too, though some also use the C spelling.
- In Poland, it becomes Wiktoria, though the W sounds like a V.
- The French name Victoire is also in use.
- Italy drops the c/k entirely, as Vittoria.
Nicknames abound, from the obvious Vicky to Tori to contracted forms like Vika and Vita.
FAMOUS PEOPLE NAMED VICTORIA
Besides the queen, you might also think of:
- Ambitious and unstoppable, Victoria Woodhull was a 19th century suffrage advocate, became an early female stockbroker, newspaper editor, and even mounted a presidential campaign.
- American actress Victoria Principal, a major star during the 1980s as part of the cast of mega-hit Dallas. (Think Yellowstone, except when there were only three channels.)
- In the early 2010s, Nickelodeon scored a hit with Victorious, about a teenager named Tori Vega, played by young actress and singer Victoria Justice.
- British comic Victoria Wood enjoyed a long and successful career.
- Speaking of the UK, former Spice Girl turned fashion designer and socialite Victoria Beckham is a household name.
HOW POPULAR IS THE NAME VICTORIA?
Plenty of popular baby names come from royals, especially members of the British royal family. There’s Charlotte and Elizabeth, names with a mix of regal connotations tied to notable figures.
The baby name Victoria rose in use through the 1980s, with names like Alexandra. It’s still going strong nearly fifty years later, with elaborate Olivia at the top of the charts.
As of 2023, Victoria ranked #45 for baby girls born in the US. It’s been in the US Top 100 every year since 1881. That’s resilience!
It’s also popular in Spain and elsewhere in the Spanish-speaking world; Canada and Australia; Belgium and France and elsewhere, too.
ELEGANCE, STRENGTH, and ENERGY
The baby name Victoria combines so many positive qualities. It offers the classic elegance of Catherine and Eleanor. There’s a strength and ambition to this name, too.
And the nicknames make it infinitely flexible, the kind of choice that works for any personality, and evolves from childhood into adulthood with grace.
What do you think of the baby name Victoria?
First published on October 10, 2012, this post was revised on November 16, 2013, and again on May 7, 2025.
There are also a number of places named after Queen Victoria. Now that we live in New Zealand, when we tell people that our son was born in Victoria (the capital city of British Columbia), they assume we’re talking about Victoria in Australia.
Some friends of ours recently named their daughter Victoria because they met in the [Canadian] city, which made the name special to them.
I really like the name, but wouldn’t use it personally because I don’t like it quite enough to overcome how popular the name is. Still, it’s a lovely name.
The other day a friend told me I should have named my daughter Victoria, seeing as both my sons have kings names. 😛
I knew a couple of Vickys growing up, which made it not a contender for me. I wanted a name that I hadn’t known someone with.
I recently met a baby Victoria for the first time. My friend looks after her, for daycare. She thought Victoria was too big of a name for a baby, so she nicknamed her Vita. I’d never heard that as a nickname before – I like it!
I’ve never been a huge fan of Victoria. Not sure why exactly… Perhaps it just feels a bit too austere. I also don’t love Vickie or Tori, however Vita is adorable. I’d be more inclined toward Victrix or Vitruvia “Vita”/”Rue”.
Vitruvia called Rue is genius!
I really love Vita, but I am an impassioned fan of V names, and Victoria doesn’t make top five because of my love for Viola, Vivien, Violet, Veronica, and Viveca.
Alexandrina is sort of lovely. I have a very close blood-related Alexander, though.
Viveca is one of my favorites, too. I do like the letter V …
Victoria is one of a very few names that the husband and I both truly love. The problem? We both detest Vicky, and I greatly dislike Tori. *Sigh* If we could be guaranteed that a Victoria of ours would never be called those nicknames, we would choose it happily, popularity and all. Unfortunately, that’s not reality. I love the look and sound of it, the 4 syllables that just roll off the tongue, the strength, the femininity. Again, *sigh*.
I know a couple of Victorias who just go by that: Victoria. It *is* possible, especially in this day when Jameses often go by James, and not Jim. You’d have to insist on it though.
I know a 3 year old Victoria who just goes by Victoria. Her big sister is Isabella–their parents don’t shy away from pronouncing all 8 combined syllables when calling the girls 🙂
Also, I saw Rory suggested as a nickname for Victoria, not as intuitive as Tori, but a possibility.
I love the idea of Rory for Victoria – I think it works.
Thanks all! I’m going to add Victoria back to the list. We’re nicknamers, but Rory and Vita are much better than Vicky and Tori. I suppose my biggest concern with Victoria isn’t so much that others will nickname her Vicky or Tori, but that she might herself when she’s older. Then again, I might feel differently toward the nicknames if they were attached to my daughter. 🙂 Also, we pretty much only use nicknames at home.
I think Ria works as a nice nickname for Victoria! It’s kind of unexpected, simple to say and spell, and feminine. I prefer it to Vicky (or any of its alternate spellings).
My great-great-grandmother was actually named Queen Victoria. She went by Jane though.
Victoria is quite lovely. It’s a great balance of soft and strong, with a regal and feminine air about it. In theory it’s a great option for me, but I’ve known one too many unpleasant females named Victoria/Tori/Vicky.
Same problem here, too many unpleasant women named Victoria, Tori and Vicki. Victoria is a perfectly lovely classic, but I’m more inclined towards Virginia or Veronica.
Wow! That’s a great name – but I guess it was a lot to wear.
Loved, loved, loved the name Victoria when I was a teen. I still like it, but wouldn’t use it because it’s so popular. Plus all of my friends with daughters seem to have either Victorias or Kates.
not a fan of vicky but love victoria in all it’s forms. if our future family ends up with a victoria it will probably be in the form of vittoria…although that Vitruvia sure is pretty too. oh and of course the nn. Vita.
I’ve always liked Victoria ever since I was a kid. I think I had a few dolls named Victoria. It wouldn’t make my top 5 list now, but it’s still a very nice name.