Violet
Meaning of Violet
Violet, pronounced in English as VY-uh-lit (/vaɪˈlɪt/), traces its etymology to the Latin “viola,” which, via Old French, entered Middle English as the term for the delicate purple blossom; in onomastic practice the word migrated seamlessly from botany to nomenclature during the Victorian era’s fascination with floral names. The ensuing centuries layered a rich set of associations upon it: in the traditional “language of flowers” the violet conveyed modesty and fidelity, while in color symbolism the hue suggests creativity tempered by restraint, an attractive duality for parents seeking balance between vibrancy and decorum. Literary and cultural references—from Tennyson’s evocations of “fresh-blown violets” to the steely ingenuity of Violet Baudelaire in Lemony Snicket’s novels—have reinforced the name’s characterological range, aligning it simultaneously with gentleness and intellectual resourcefulness. Demographic data from the United States reveal a pronounced revival: after languishing outside the top 500 through much of the late twentieth century, Violet began a steady ascent at the millennium, entering the top 100 in 2012 and reaching rank 15 by 2024, a trajectory that mirrors the broader resurgence of vintage botanical names yet surpasses many of its peers in velocity and sustained popularity. Together, its classical origin, nuanced symbolism, and empirically documented renaissance position Violet as a choice that is at once historically grounded and contemporarily resonant.
Pronunciation
British English
- Pronunced as VY-uh-lit (/vaɪˈlɪt/)
American English
- Pronunced as VYE-uh-lit (/vaɪˈɛlɪt/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
States Popularity Chart
Notable People Named Violet
| Violet Constance Jessop was an Irish-Argentine ocean liner stewardess and nurse who survived the Titanic and Britannic sinkings and was aboard the Olympic during its 1911 collision. |
| Violet Manners, Duchess of Rutland - Marion Margaret Violet Manners was a British artist and noblewoman who married Henry Manners in 1882, became Duchess of Rutland in 1906, and was mother to five children including John Manners, the 9th Duke of Rutland, and socialite Lady Diana Cooper. |
| Violet Tillard was a British suffragette, Quaker, and pacifist nurse who aided famine relief and defended conscientious objectors. |
| Violet Moore Higgins, born Violet Moore, was an American cartoonist, children’s book illustrator, and writer. |
| Violet Gordon-Woodhouse was a pioneering British keyboardist who helped revive the harpsichord and clavichord and made the first harpsichord recordings and broadcasts. |
| Irish woman Violet Albina Gibson attempted to assassinate Benito Mussolini in 1926 but, though released without charge, spent the rest of her life in a psychiatric hospital in England. |
| Violet Berlin is a British TV presenter, producer, and screenwriter best known for her pioneering coverage of video games and cutting edge technology. |
| Violet Bidwill Wolfner - Violet Fults Bidwill Wolfner was the first woman to be principal owner of an NFL team and owned the Chicago and later St. Louis Cardinals from 1947 until her death in 1962 after inheriting the club from her husband. |
| Violet Brown, a Jamaican supercentenarian, was the oldest living person in the world for five months in 2017 and died at 117, one of the last two people born in the 19th century and the oldest Jamaican on record. |
| Violet Astor, Baroness Astor of Hever, was an English aristocrat who was styled Lady Charles Fitzmaurice from 1909 to 1914 and Lady Charles Mercer Nairne from 1914 to 1918. |
| Violet Brooke-Hunt - Violet Edith Gwynllyn Brooke-Hunt was an English writer and social worker who improved conditions for British troops during the Boer War. |
| Violet Aitken was a British suffragette, born Marion Violet Aitken, raised in Bedfordshire, daughter of William Aitken, Canon of Norwich Cathedral, and sister to Rose, a theosophist. |
| Violet Louise Wilkey was an American silent-era child actress who appeared in 18 films over four years. |
| Violet Elliott, called Chick Elliott in Britain, was an Australian comedian, singer, and actress. |
