The name Violet looked like it was on its way out by the 1980s, but in recent years it’s made a glorious comeback and is more popular than ever (but not too popular). In the language of flowers, violets symbolize innocence and are the birth flower for the month of February. Vi is also a super cute nickname, along with Lettie.

Violaine is a somewhat obscure Middle French version of the name Violet — pronounced vee-oh-LEN — and is a beautiful spin on the more traditional floral name.

The Latin name Veronica means “she who brings victory” and gives off a vibe that’s at once sophisticated and sassy.

The name Vivica comes to us from Scandinavian languages and means “alive” or “war fortress,” which is perfect for your wee warrior baby.

It’s not often that we know exactly where a name came from, but in this case we know that the name Vanessa was invented by satirist Jonathan Swift in 1713. He was in need of a name for a heroine in his poem, so he combined the first three letters of his girlfriend Esther “Essa” Vanhomrigh: Van-Essa! After it was bestowed on a species of butterfly, the name now means “butterfly.”

This French “V” name of Valerie ultimately comes from Latin and means strong, valorous, and fierce. You could put a more classical spin on it and go with Valeria.

I think this Latin-derived, gender-neutral name of Valen hits all the notes: unique but classic, intuitively spelled, and beautiful. And the meaning — strong and healthy — isn’t bad either!

Like Valen, the more feminine Valentina also means “health and strong” and can be found in languages throughout Europe, from Spain to Russia and lots of places in-between.

There is no shortage of ways to spell this Latin-derived name of Vivienne meaning “alive” — Vivian, Vivien, Vyvyan — but I especially like this very French version. Vivi is also a super cute nickname and could even stand alone.

This Slavic name of Vera means “faith.” While most popular at the turn of the 20th century, it’s been rising in the ranks of popular baby names lately and I definitely think it’s due for a true comeback.

A name fit for a little queen, Victoria means, as you might imagine, “victorious.”

Coming from the Latin surname “Virginius” which means maiden or virgin, the name Virginia is often associated with the state, which was named for Queen Elizabeth I, the Virgin Queen.

The city of Vienna in Austria has long been a center of art and culture and has been graced with the title “City of Music,” as it was home to famous composers like Mozart and Beethoven. A baby girl named Vienna is just lovely.

Violeta is a cute, extra dainty version of the name Violet, and is common in countries throughout Europe, including Spain, Italy, and Bulgaria. It’s a super sweet girl name that starts with “V.”

This beautiful Sanskrit name of Veda means “knowledge” or “wisdom.”

Another form of “violet” or “purple,” the name Viola is maybe most famous for being given to Shakespeare’s heroine in Twelfth Night.

The Roman goddess of love and beauty bore this name of Venus and so did Our Lady of the Court, Venus Williams.

How bad*ss of a girl’s name that starts with “V” is Valkyrie? In Norse mythology, a valkyrie is an ethereal being who guides slain warriors to the halls of Valhalla, aka Warrior Heaven. Speaking of which...

While not a typical first name: why not? Valhalla is pretty, has an awesome meaning, and if she totally hates it, she can just go by Val!

Vanna is a name that appears in a number of cultures. In Italian, “Vanna” is a derivative of Giovanna which means “God is Gracious.” In Russian, it’s a shorter version of Ivanna (also meaning “God is gracious”). In Hebrew it means “God’s gift,” and in Cambodian, it is a unisex name that means “golden.”

This one is probably self-explanatory, right? Victory is a gorgeous name for a little girl, and is an especiall nice “V” name for baby girls if their birthday lines up with some kind of victorious day or anniversary.

Valor means “courage in the face of battle” and I think this is a great attribute for anybody, especially a tough little girl!

Coming to us from Slavic languages, Varina means “foreigner.” It has a very sweet sound as a girl name that starts with “V.”

More often than not, Vega is a last name. It is of Spanish origin and means “dweller of the meadow.”

Vita comes to us from Latin and means “life.” Because of its sweet simplicity, it is used throughout Europe as a girl’s name that starts with “V.”

This English name of Verity comes from Latin and means “truth.” It’s a great “virtue” name, like Grace, Comfort, or Hope. Speaking of which...

This Sanskrit name of Vibha is pronounced “vi-BAH” and means “shining” or “bright.”

Because why not!? Virtue is a noble characteristic to have, and it makes for a darling girl’s name that starts with “V.”

An old, poetic word meaning valley, I think Vale is a sweet, unique name for a baby girl (or boy, honestly).

Maybe you’re a really big fan of the brains behind Mystery Inc. (Why does Scooby get all the credit? He’s a dog and also probably high.) Or maybe you think Velma is just a unique name that deserves more love. It comes to us as a nickname for the German boys name Wilhelm and means (roughly) “determined protector.”

I love this “V” girl name of Verna because of its meaning: springtime! Think “VERNAl equinox,” aka the first day of spring. Perfect for a springtime baby girl!

The feminine version of the male name Vincent, Vincentina means “to conquer.”

Venisha is a fun twist on the name Vanessa and likewise means “butterfly.”

A place name that comes from the beautiful port city in southern Spain known for its love of art and science, Valencia is a great girl name that starts with “V” if you’re into romantic cities and/or traveling.

Another place name, Verona is a city in Italy and is perhaps best known around the world as the setting for Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.

While this “V” girl name is not commonly given as a name, I absolutely love the way it sounds and what it means. In Latin, Vesper means “evening.” In European Christian tradition, “vespers” were evening prayers. How sweet is that?

Pronounced “vy-day-hee,” this Indian name of Vaidehi is used as an alternate name for Sita, a main character from Hindu epic Ramayana.

Vara is another name with global renown in that it pops up in a variety of unrelated or loosely related languages, but ultimately appears to derive from Greek and means “stranger.”

This beautiful Indian name of Vaanya means “from the forest,” and I love it for families that make getting out in nature a priority.

Another Latin inspired name, Vesta was the Roman goddess of the hearth and home.

Hindi for “rain,” I love that the name Varsha at once sounds familiar and exciting.

I love the name Vaila because it’s a less commonly used place name — Vaila is an Island in Shetland, Scotland and has been inhabited since Neolithic times. It’s a gorgeous girl name that starts with “V” if your family has Scottish roots.

If you celebrate Purim, this “V” name for girls of Vashti might be familiar as the name of the defiant queen of king Ahsuerus who went on to marry Esther. This Persian name means “goodness.”

This spin on Victoria, Vika, means “victory.”

This Greek “V” name of Vasilia is perfect for regal little girls as it means “royal.”