How to say it
VIE · uh · lit
ˈvaɪ.ə.lət
Feminine
Violet
Violet flower
What it means
From the English word for the violet flower, ultimately from the Latin viola. A small purple bloom that gave its name to the color and the name.
Violet joined the Victorian-era wave of botanical names alongside Hazel, Lily, Ivy, Rose, and Daisy. The name held steady through the early 20th century, dropped off, and came back in a major revival starting in the 2000s. Roald Dahl's Violet Beauregarde in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory gave the name a Victorian-children's-book moment, and Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner naming their daughter Violet (2005) added modern celebrity visibility. Currently US top thirty for girls and climbing. Often shortened to Vi or Lettie.
How to spell Violet
The standard spelling is Violet. Common variants include Violetta, Violette, Wioletta, but Violet is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #13 in 2025, currently #13 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Pop culture
Violet Beauregarde (Willy Wonka) and Violet Crawley (Downton Abbey) are the two strongest character associations, pulling in different directions.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Violet Beauregarde Gum-chewing girl in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
- Violet Crawley Maggie Smith's dowager countess in Downton Abbey
Spelling variants
- Violetta
- Violette
- Wioletta
Names with the same feeling
See Violet from another angle
By meaning
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Violet mean?
- From the English word for the violet flower, ultimately from the Latin viola. A small purple bloom that gave its name to the color and the name.
- What does Violet mean in English?
- In English, Violet means "Violet flower." Violet joined the Victorian-era wave of botanical names alongside Hazel, Lily, Ivy, Rose, and Daisy. The name held steady through the early 20th century, dropped off, and came back in a major revival starting in the 2000s. Roald Dahl's Violet Beauregarde in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory gave the name a Victorian-children's-book moment, and Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner naming their daughter Violet (2005) added modern celebrity visibility. Currently US top thirty for girls and climbing. Often shortened to Vi or Lettie.
- How do you pronounce Violet?
- Violet is pronounced ˈvaɪ.ə.lət. Say it as VIE-uh-lit, with the stress on the "vie" syllable.
- How do you spell Violet?
- The standard spelling is Violet. Common spelling variants include Violetta, Violette, Wioletta.
- Is Violet a boy or girl name?
- Violet is traditionally a feminine name.
- How popular is the name Violet?
- Violet ranked #13 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.