Ava

No single meaning: uncertain in the Germanic tradition; “voice, sound” in Persian.

Ava is a feminine name with more than one history. In the Germanic tradition, its original meaning is uncertain. English usage also connects it with Eve. The Persian name Āvā, written آوا, independently means “voice” or “sound”. These are different routes to the same Latin spelling, so a meaning should be tied to the tradition you have in mind. Pronunciation makes that distinction audible. English Ava begins like the letter A, /ˈeɪ.və/; German Ava starts with a long open a, /ˈaː.va/. Persian Āvā has its own pronunciation, /ʔɒː.ˈvɒː/, with the stress at the end. Sharing a spelling therefore does not require sharing one sound. The repeated a around the central v gives Ava a neatly balanced written shape. Its brief, vowel-led sound can feel soft and unhurried despite its compactness. If the Persian meaning matters to you, the voice association adds a particular resonance; if the name appeals mainly for its shape and sound, its simplicity already offers plenty.

Etymology: Germanic Ava is associated with the element awi, whose meaning is uncertain. English Ava is also treated as a form of Eve. Persian Āvā, written آوا, has a separate origin in the word for voice or sound.