Aria Name Meaning

little girl playing piano

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What Does Aria Mean?

Aria means "song" or "melody" in Italian. Its literal translation is "air," and it is a musical term that refers to an elaborate vocal solo usually found within a larger piece of music, generally an opera.

Aria means "lioness" in Greek. In Persian, Aria is a gender-neutral name that means "noble."

In Greek mythology, Aria is a woman in Crete who, with Apollo, bore a son named Miletos. Aria is also the name of a Roman martyr about whom very little is known.

  • Origin: Aria has origins in Greek, Latin, and Persian. Although these three languages sometimes have overlapping elements, the name Aria has its own distinct origins in each of them.
  • Gender: Aria is a gender-neutral name depending upon the origins. In the Latin version of the name, Aria is most often used as a girl name. Italian names are traditionally gendered. The Greek name Aria is more commonly used for girls, as its definition is a female lion. However, the Persian version of Aria is used for boys. The Persian name is also used in Indian, Hindi, and Malayalam for both boys and girls.
  • Pronunciation: ARE-ee-uh

Although many baby names are separated by gender, Verywell Family believes that sex does not need to play a role in your name selection process. It’s important to select a name that you feel suits your new baby the best.

How Popular Is the Name Aria?

Aria first appeared on the charts in 2000 and made a slow and steady increase in popularity until it broke into the top 100 in 2012. Since then, Aria took off, becoming a top 50 name a year later and a top 20 name in 2017. In 2020, Aria was ranked #26.

The recent increase in the popularity of the name Aria may be in part because of the "Game of Thrones" character. There are also characters named Aria in both "Pretty Little Liars" and "My Little Pony."

Name Variations

Aria has a few variations, including the more common Persian spelling, Arya. Take a look through these variations:

  • Adriana
  • Adrianna
  • Amira
  • Amirah
  • Areya
  • Ari
  • Arie
  • Ariah
  • Ariana
  • Arianna
  • Ariea
  • Ariel
  • Ariella
  • Ariya
  • Ariyah
  • Arya
  • Aryana

Similar Names

Names that mean "melody" or "song" include:

  • Aika
  • Canta
  • Carmin
  • Carol
  • Chantelle
  • Gita
  • Hiva
  • Mandira
  • Melody
  • Shira

Names that mean "high" or "noble" are:

  • Ada
  • Adelaide
  • Adeline
  • Albert
  • Alice
  • Alyssa
  • Audrey
  • Brian
  • Freya
  • Patrick

Common Nicknames

Aria is already a short and sweet name, but there are still some cute-sounding nicknames to choose from. Nicknames for Aria include:

  • Ari: The most common nickname for Aria, which also means "lion" in Hebrew.
  • Riri: A cutesy pet name for Aria. While some kids might outgrow this one with time, others may use it as they age with their closest friends and family members.
  • Ri: A casual nickname likely to be used by friends or siblings.
  • R: A fun alternative to a first-initial nickname.

Suggested Sibling Names

Sibling combinations that work well with Aria include:

  • Augustus
  • Anthony
  • Asher
  • Caspara
  • Cullen
  • Daphne
  • Eliza
  • Esme
  • Everley
  • Fisher
  • Hazel
  • Isabella
  • Jasper
  • Julian
  • Liana
  • Lucia
  • Maisie
  • Marco
  • Mina
  • Rosemary

Famous People Named Aria

  • Aria Aber, American poet and writer born to Afghan refugees
  • Aria Barzan, Iranian prince and military commander who led a last stand of the Persian army at the Battle of the Persian Gate against Macedonian King Alexander the Great.
  • Aria Clemente, Filipina singer and actress
  • Aria Curzon, American actress known for voicing Ducky in "The Land Before Time"
  • Aria Finger, President of the TMI agency, former CEO of DoSomething.org 
  • Aria Fischer, American water polo player who represented the United States at the 2016 Summer Olympics
  • Arya Nasimi-Shad, Iranian swimmer who competed in the 2016 Summer Olympics
  • Aria Pullman, American musician, actress, model, and songwriter
  • Aria Sa'id, African American transgender advocate and political strategist, co-founder and executive director of several transgender rights organizations, and a policy advisor to the San Francisco Human Rights Commission
  • Aria Wallace, American actress and singer-songwriter
  • Aria Wiraraja, Asian warrior in the 13th century

More Baby Names

Still searching for the perfect baby name? Check out these related baby name lists for even more options: 


1 Source
Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. Social Security Administration. Popular Baby Names.

By Elisa Cinelli
Elisa is a well-known parenting writer who is passionate about providing research-based content to help parents make the best decisions for their families. She has written for well-known sites including POPSUGAR and Scary Mommy, among others.