Girls' name · since 1888
Velva
Velva has 4,274 recorded births since 1888 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1916 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #2,852 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 4,274
- born since 1888
- 1910s
- peak decade
Velva sits outside today's top ranks for girls, with 4,274 recorded since 1888.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Velva has been recorded 4,274 times among girls since 1888, though it is not among the currently most-used girls names, with its heaviest use in the 1910s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1888 to 1983.
- #2,852 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 4,274 born since 1888
- 1910s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Velva ranks #2,852 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 4,274 born since 1888, peaking in the 1910s.
- #2,852 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 4,274
- born since 1888
- 1910s
- peak decade
Velva's 4,274 recorded births place it above 96.05% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
22 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by Kentucky.
Velva's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Velva splits its recorded history at 1935: 36% of all births land in the more recent half, 64% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 1974 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1916 peak of 139 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Velva popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1888–1983
- Peak year (1916)
- 139
- Annual births at peak, across 96 years of records
Velva by decade
1910s is the heaviest window (997 births, 23% of the file).
1910s was Velva's strongest decade.
997 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 23% of all-time use.
Velva births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 13
1880s
13 births
- 1890s 117
1890s
117 births
- 1900s 285
1900s
285 births
- 1910s
1910s
997 births
- 1920s
1920s
951 births
- 1930s
1930s
697 births
- 1940s
1940s
505 births
- 1950s 378
1950s
378 births
- 1960s 225
1960s
225 births
- 1970s 87
1970s
87 births
- 1980s 19
1980s
19 births
What this shows Peak: 1910s at 997 births (23% of all-time use).
How Velva compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Velva's total volume
Velva by state
Where Velva concentrates geographically, total births since 1888
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Kentucky | | 203 | 4.7% |
| #2 | West Virginia | | 194 | 4.5% |
| #3 | Missouri | | 155 | 3.6% |
| #4 | Oklahoma | | 128 | 3.0% |
| #5 | Texas | | 102 | 2.4% |
| #6 | Iowa | | 90 | 2.1% |
| #7 | Arkansas | | 77 | 1.8% |
| #8 | Illinois | | 72 | 1.7% |
203 of 4,274 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 22 reporting states.
Velva appears in 22 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Velva? ▼
Where does Velva sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Velva most popular? ▼
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What to do with Velva's data
- Velva's decade-level peak was the 1910s (997 total births); usage has since declined to 19 in the 1980s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Kentucky records the most Velvas (203 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Kentucky names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Velva
Nearby Names Like Velva
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Velva
Compare Velva side by side: Velva vs Velma Velva vs Velda Velva vs Velvet
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Velva: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1916)
Similar record span (~95 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1888–1983 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Velva draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.