Fun Facts About the Name Nivea
- More than 1 thousand babies named Nivea: U.S. records list 1,331 babies given the name Nivea from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Nivea Mean?
Nivea is the feminine form of the Latin adjective niveus, meaning "snowy" or "snow-white." It comes from nix, the Latin noun for snow (genitive nivis). Latin adjectives change their ending to match the noun they describe, so niveus, nivea, and niveum are the masculine, feminine, and neuter forms of one word. Used as a name, Nivea retains that literal sense of "snow-white" rather than a separate symbolic meaning.
The Spanish word nieve ("snow") and the Italian neve are related, since they descend from the same Latin noun for snow. Similar-looking names such as the Irish Niamh are not related to Nivea; they come from a different language family and a different root.
Nivea Name History & Origins
The Latin adjective behind the name is an old one. Niveus and its forms appear in classical Latin writing, particularly poetry, where they describe things as white as snow. The feminine nivea is the form used with feminine nouns, which is why the name takes a feminine shape when it is used for a person.
The word is best known today through the German skincare brand Nivea, introduced by the company Beiersdorf of Hamburg in 1911. The firm chose the name from the Latin term for snow-white, referring to the cream's white color. That trademark is the most familiar context for the word in modern life, and it is a brand name rather than an older personal name with a long record behind it.
As a given name, Nivea is uncommon. It is used in modern English-speaking settings, where it is sometimes chosen for its sound and its "snow-white" sense, and it is occasionally treated as a variant spelling of similar-sounding names. Its development as a personal name is separate from the history of the Latin adjective and from the history of the skincare trademark.
How Popular is the Name Nivea?
Nivea has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2003. Its best rank was #1,982 in 2003.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #9,914 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2024 | #7,472 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2023 | #5,503 | 23 | 0.0014% |
| 2022 | #5,757 | 22 | 0.0013% |
| 2021 | #6,103 | 20 | 0.0012% |
| 2020 | #4,416 | 31 | 0.0019% |
| 2019 | #4,620 | 30 | 0.0018% |
| 2018 | #4,969 | 27 | 0.0016% |
| 2017 | #4,663 | 30 | 0.0017% |
| 2016 | #4,212 | 35 | 0.0020% |
| 2015 | #3,901 | 39 | 0.0022% |
| 2014 | #3,309 | 49 | 0.0027% |
| 2013 | #4,852 | 29 | 0.0017% |
| 2012 | #2,648 | 68 | 0.0039% |
| 2011 | #2,429 | 76 | 0.0043% |
| 2010 | #2,533 | 73 | 0.0041% |
| 2009 | #2,725 | 67 | 0.0036% |
| 2008 | #2,768 | 66 | 0.0035% |
| 2007 | #2,702 | 68 | 0.0035% |
| 2006 | #2,878 | 61 | 0.0032% |
| 2005 | #2,304 | 78 | 0.0042% |
| 2004 | #2,388 | 72 | 0.0039% |
| 2003 | #1,982 | 92 | 0.0050% |
| 2002 | #6,612 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 2001 | #9,199 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1998 | #13,650 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1996 | #7,962 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1995 | #6,922 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1994 | #15,065 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1993 | #12,956 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1991 | #9,975 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1989 | #9,384 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1988 | #13,255 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1986 | #12,240 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1985 | #7,380 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1984 | #5,781 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1983 | #3,511 | 23 | 0.0014% |
| 1982 | #3,231 | 27 | 0.0016% |
| 1981 | #5,161 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1980 | #3,049 | 29 | 0.0017% |
| 1979 | #5,640 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1978 | #6,256 | 10 | 0.0007% |
| 1977 | #9,266 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1976 | #7,068 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1975 | #10,108 | 5 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Explore More Lists with Name Nivea
Most Popular Girl Names That Start with N
Short Girl Names That Start with N
How the Name Nivea Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You have a vivid imagination who can bring inspired messages to the world. You like to enjoy the pleasures of life, and when self is overcome, you can rise to the heights. You have an ability to avoid trouble - that is why you often fails to learn from experiences. You are restless, sociable people-oriented, a lover of change, and a seeker of adventure and new thrills. You are intuitive and might be interested in the arts, drama or science.
You find the best contentment in life when you own your own home and provide well for your family and loved ones. You have a great sense of responsibility and duty. You are comforting, appreciative and affectionate. Your obligation in life is to hold justice and truth, and if you follow the Law, you can find the great happiness and satisfaction.
✦ Nivea's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Nivea's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.