Baby Name of the Day: Vienna

The baby name Vienna blends an unforgettable city with a stylish sound.

Thanks to Amanda for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day.

WHAT DOES THE NAME VIENNA MEAN?

The baby name Vienna comes from the capital city of Austria.

The short answer is that the place name comes from a Celtic word: vedunia, meaning “forest stream.”

The Romans has originally called it Vindobona, from the Celtic windos, or white, and bona, or fort. Or possibly a long-forgotten personal name, Vindos.

It’s Wien in German.

ABOUT VIENNA, AUSTRIA

Chances are you’ve heard of the city.

Located on the Danube, it’s a major European city. 

It’s been a major metropolitan area since the early 200s, when the Romans made it a municipium – an official city, with specific rights and privileges. By the Middle Ages, it was the seat of the emperors of the Holy Roman Empire. In 1804, it became the capital of the Austrian Empire. 

In other words? Vienna might not be London or New York, but it’s pretty close. 

In fact, the city center is considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The 19th century Ringstrasse is lined with historical buildings, monuments, and parks. Older palaces and gardens are also part of the urban landscape.

Composers like Beethoven and Mozart – to name just two – have called the city home, and it has long been considered a leading center of music in Europe.

One more famous resident? Sigmund Freud, the world’s first psychoanalyst. 

V NAMES FOR GIRLS

With all this history, it’s easy to think of Vienna as a place name.

But how did it become a girl’s name?

The short answer is that we’ve always borrowed place names for our children.

Some, like Florence, have long been mainstream favorites and coincide with similar given names.

Others, like Brooklyn, are downright novel – though again, Brooke and Lynne seems like an obvious combination. 

The baby name Vienna first appears in US Social Security Administration data in the year 1882, with five births. It might be inspired by the city, or possibly just an appealing sound. After all:

• Names like Vivian and Vivienne have a long history of use.
• During the 1880s, names like Vena and Vina, Glenna and Lenna were all familiar.
• Viola ranked in the US Top 100 during the 19th century. 

It’s easy to imagine someone inventing the sound if it didn’t already exist. 

One factor that likely held this name back? Vienna sausage. Similar to a hot dog, they became popular canned foods in the US, peaking in sales around midcentury. 

While the name never disappears entirely, it’s used in small numbers compared to comparable choices. 

FAMOUS FIGURES

A handful of famous figures – real and fictional – have answered to the name:

• F. Scott Fitzgerald gave the name to a character in a 1928 short story centered on college football, “The Bowl.”
• Joan Crawford played a strong-willed saloon owner in 1954 Western “Johnny Guitar.”
• Vienna Giardi won the 2010 season of The Bachelor featuring Jake Pavelka, and continued to appear in spin-off series in the following years.

HOW POPULAR IS THE NAME VIENNA?

So it’s a beautiful name, long tied to a canned food. But by the late 20th century, the association was fading. 

And another image was quickly replacing it: Billy Joel’s 1977 song “Vienna.” It wasn’t a hit in the 1970s. It took years for it to trend, slowly catching on in the early 21st century as it was used for movie soundtracks Joel performed it live.

It’s a melancholy song, ultimately about Joel’s relationship with his estranged father. The refrain – “Vienna waits for you” – is haunting. 

In 2007, the baby name Vienna was first given to more than one hundred girls – 107, to be exact.

By 2015, the name debuted in the US Top 1000 at #926. As of 2024, it stands at #531 – a new high.

ROMANTIC PLACE NAME POSSIBILITY

All of this makes Vienna a romantic place name possibility. It’s a little less flashy than Paris. Unlike London, it’s strongly feminine. 

At the same time, it’s less traditional than Victoria or Evelyn but not as novel as Nova. 

And while we’re hearing it more and more often, Vienna remains nicely uncommon – at least for now. 

What do you think of the baby name Vienna?

First published on May 21, 2014, this post was revised on November 4, 2025.