Tavia
A girl's name of Latin origin with 2,477 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
partitive singular of tavi
Tavia is a girl's baby name of Latin origin, a short form of Octavia, meaning 'eighth' — from the Latin octavus, the feminine of the ordinal Octavius, traditionally given to an eighth child or simply used for its classical Roman heritage.
Octavia was the sister of Emperor Augustus Caesar and the wife of Mark Antony — a woman of great dignity who was praised for her grace even in the midst of Antony's betrayal with Cleopatra. Tavia distills this Roman imperial heritage into a compact, modern-feeling name. With over 2,400 recorded U.S. births, it has genuine presence.
EtymologyShow more
Tavia is built from 5 letters and two syllables — a mid-length form that balances memorability with distinctiveness. Within the Latin naming tradition, this brevity is common among names that have been worn down through centuries of use, shedding syllables along the way.
The interplay of consonants and vowels in Tavia creates its characteristic open, elegant quality. Two-syllable names are the most common length in American naming, hitting a natural speech rhythm that works across formal and informal contexts.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Tavia was #2737 twenty years ago and has since drifted to #12010, but its charm endures.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Avg Rank | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 61 | #9262 | ▼ |
| 2010s | 225 | #6329 | ▼ |
| 2000s | 535 | #3072 | — |
| 1990s | 591 | #2376 | ▲ |
| 1980s | 471 | #2263 | ▲ |
| 1970s | 409 | #2157 | ▲ |
| 1960s | 152 | #3843 | ▲ |
| 1950s | 28 | #5534 | ▲ |
| 1940s | 5 | #5173 | — |
The Story of Tavia
A Millennial name
Peaking in 1993, Tavia is a Millennial-era classic. Girls named Tavia are most likely born between 1983 and 2003.
How rare is Tavia?
Only about 1 in every 450,000 babies born in 2024 was named Tavia — a truly uncommon choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1944, gained momentum through the mid-century, peaked in the 1990s with 591 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Tavia by the numbers
- Would fill 52 school buses
- Meeting one Tavia per day would take 6.8 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(69 years, 1944–2024)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 8 | #12010 |
| 2023 | 14 | #8009 |
| 2022 | 9 | #11151 |
| 2021 | 16 | #7223 |
| 2020 | 14 | #7916 |
| 2019 | 18 | #6674 |
| 2018 | 18 | #6758 |
| 2017 | 12 | #9291 |
| 2016 | 32 | #4519 |
| 2015 | 17 | #7240 |
| 2014 | 24 | #5614 |
| 2013 | 16 | #7715 |
| 2012 | 19 | #6844 |
| 2011 | 34 | #4345 |
| 2010 | 35 | #4293 |
| 2009 | 39 | #4008 |
| 2008 | 42 | #3852 |
| 2007 | 47 | #3525 |
| 2006 | 55 | #3086 |
| 2005 | 60 | #2784 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tavia a boy's or girl's name?
When was Tavia most popular?
How popular is the name Tavia?
Explore More
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1944–2024