Meaning: Its source is a Latin expression meaning "The violet flower."

Languages: This girl's name is used in Dutch, English, Italian, Czech, Norwegian, Swedish and Danish.

Nicknames: Vi

Alternative Spellings: Veola

Non-English Forms: Viole

Popularity: The name Viola ranked 244th in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.

This name is highly rated in the 1990 U.S. Census popularity survey of all ages, but after 1960 does not appear in the state data listing the most popular baby names.

Narrative: Viola is also the name of the alto-voiced member of the string family of instruments, and some girls may be named with this in mind. However, that name was not derived from the Latin term for the tiny purple flower.

Like the related nouns viol and violin, the origins of this look-alike word are obscure. Some authorities suggest these terms originated as imitations of the sonorous sounds produced by stringed instruments.