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Archivesmeaning of ava
I love the name but I can't seem to find it's true meaning. Some say "like a bird", others bearer of life" or "bearer of good news". Still others put the meaning of the name as "Serpent" or a "variant of Eve". Even the root and origin of the name is uncertain. I haven't had this problem with other names. Can anyone help, please?
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I think that in modern times Ava is normally simply a respelling of Eva to force English speakers to use the "continental European" pronunciation of that name.
However, Ava was also used in medieval times as a short form of various Germanic names containing the root av, (which is so ancient it is of unknown meaning), and it's possible that some examples of women named Ava during the late 19th century were revivals of the medieval name. There was a St. Ava (also called Avia) who was an abbess in the 9th century in Hainaut, which is today a Belgian province.
The "like a bird" meaning comes from people confusing Ava with the Latin word avis, and the "bearer of good news" derivation would come from assuming it's a short form of Evangeline. Both of those seem like unsubstantiated guesses to me. "Bearer of life" seems to be a metaphorical meaning based on Eve, not an etymological meaning. I have no idea where "serpent" would come from! :)
However, Ava was also used in medieval times as a short form of various Germanic names containing the root av, (which is so ancient it is of unknown meaning), and it's possible that some examples of women named Ava during the late 19th century were revivals of the medieval name. There was a St. Ava (also called Avia) who was an abbess in the 9th century in Hainaut, which is today a Belgian province.
The "like a bird" meaning comes from people confusing Ava with the Latin word avis, and the "bearer of good news" derivation would come from assuming it's a short form of Evangeline. Both of those seem like unsubstantiated guesses to me. "Bearer of life" seems to be a metaphorical meaning based on Eve, not an etymological meaning. I have no idea where "serpent" would come from! :)
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A name can have different origins and meanings
Since the name can exist in different cultures/languages. Therefore it has many "true" meanings.
Ava is a variation of Eva/Eve, at least I think it is this biblical name most people think of when they use the name Ava.
But just click on the name Ava and you'll see BtN's explanations. Don't believe what you rean in any baby name site.
"But it’s all right now.
I learned my lesson well.
You see you can’t please everyone
So you got to please yourself."
Rick Nelson, GardenParty
"It does not become me to make myself smaller than I am." (Edith Södergran 1891-1923)
Since the name can exist in different cultures/languages. Therefore it has many "true" meanings.
Ava is a variation of Eva/Eve, at least I think it is this biblical name most people think of when they use the name Ava.
But just click on the name Ava and you'll see BtN's explanations. Don't believe what you rean in any baby name site.
"But it’s all right now.
I learned my lesson well.
You see you can’t please everyone
So you got to please yourself."
Rick Nelson, GardenParty
"It does not become me to make myself smaller than I am." (Edith Södergran 1891-1923)
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