White, elf, or sublime
Alva has multiple etymological roots. In its Latin form, it is a feminine name meaning 'white.' In its Germanic and Norse roots, it is related to 'Alf' meaning 'elf.' It also appears in the Bible as a masculine name meaning 'sublime' or 'his highness.'
Less common today
Alva isn't in the latest US Top 1000. It last peaked at #3,608 in 2020.
US births per 5-year period, 1990–present (SSA data).
Prolific American inventor of the light bulb and phonograph
American socialite and major figure in the women's suffrage movement
Swedish sociologist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate
