Nevaeh, Anavin & Itavarama

The girl’s name that is growing fastest in popularity in the US is Nevaeh. While it’s not the top name yet, it has now rocketed into the top 100 girl’s name from recent obscurity. Its appeal and growth are remarkable.

Cleveland Evans, the president of the American Name Society and a professor of psychology at Bellevue University in Nebraska, told the New York Times that the advent of the name was unprecedented. "Of the last couple of generations, Nevaeh is certainly the most remarkable phenomenon in baby names."

Last year, 4,457 baby girls were named Nevaeh in the USA, allowing it to penetrate the top 100 bracket for girl's names. It is especially popular among African Americans.

Some suggest that it is of Slavic origin and means butterfly, but the truth is far from it. One of the people credited with popularising the name was Christian rock star Sonny Sandoval of the group POD. In May 2000 he announced on MTV to his audience that his daughter had been named Nevaeh.

Why?

Because, Nevaeh is Heaven spelled backwards.

Very clever and original.

Along that unique approach, Buddhists could named their sons or daughters Anavin, the reverse of Nivana.

Hindus have a wider choice as in Agravs (Svarga or Heaven), Urem (Meru as in Mount Meru, the location of Svarga) or Itavarama (Amaravati, the capital of Svarga). The last one even has the word Rama in it.