Riva

Riva - A very unique female name

Riva appeared on the charts for the first time in 1952 on position #2141. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Riva and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Riva? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Riva. The baby girl name Riva was given to 12 baby girls in 2025, ranking #3625 on the national girl baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 108,623 baby girls were given this name - making this a very unique female name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Riva peaked in popularity 73 years ago in 1953 on position 1479.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Riva, 1-5?

Riva is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Riva is currently topping the baby name charts in New York at position #1,793 - and is the least popular in Texas at position #3,697.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Riva is where you live.

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Riva origin and meaning

Hebrew diminutive of Rivka, also Italian word for shore

Uncertain — two live sources: a Hebrew short form, and an Italian word

Riva is used as a short form of Rivka, the Hebrew form of Rebecca, whose own meaning is disputed, and Riva is also the Italian word for shore or bank. With two live sources, no single derivation is asserted. It has been used in the United States since the 1950s, peaking in 2024.

Origin uncertain

Riva is a 4 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Riva, pop culture references for the name Riva and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Riva

We've found the following names that sound similar to Riva, sorted by popularity.

Ruby / Reba / Robbie / Reva / Rubi / Rubye / Rubie / Rahaf / Robbi / Reeva /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Riva

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Riva a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique female name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Riva?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

REE-vah · /ˈriːvə/

Around the world

• Riva (Italian) — Italian word for shore, used as a name

Famous bearers

None yet — no bearer for this name is documented well enough for us to list, so we show none rather than pad the list.

Style

InternationalShort form

Why parents choose it

A short, elegant name that works in Hebrew and Italian contexts for different reasons.

Worth knowing

• Its two sources mean families may hear two different meanings, and it is confused with Reva.