Sunniva

Sunniva is a female first name that means "gift of the sun." The name represents the Nordic variant of the Old English name Sunnġifu, which is composed of the Old English terms sunne for "sun" and ġifu for "gift."

What does the name Sunniva mean?

The name Sunniva, meaning "gift of the sun," is the Nordic form of the Old English name Sunnġifu. This designation is composed of the Old English words sunne, meaning "sun," and ġifu, meaning "gift." The first name gained recognition through the veneration of Saint Sunniva of Selje, who lived around 980. She fled from the daughter of an Irish king to Norway to the island of Selje, where she died as a martyr in a rock cave. In Scandinavia, particularly in Norway, Sunniva is a widely used girl's name. The name also appears in Sweden in the form Synnöve.

Where does the name Sunniva come from?

Sunniva is a female first name of Old English origin and means "gift of the sun."

How do you pronounce Sunniva?

The pronunciation of Sunniva is three syllables and is characterized by a soft, evenly flowing sound structure. The name is typically pronounced as "Sun-ni-va" [ˈsʊnɪvə], beginning with a compact u sound that conveys stability and presence. The middle syllable provides a harmonious transition, while the open a ending gently fades the sound. Overall, Sunniva sounds harmonious and friendly - clear, soft, and elegant.

When is the name day of Sunniva?

The name day for Sunniva is celebrated on July 8th in honor of Saint Sunniva of Selje.

Popularity

In Germany, Sunniva is a relatively rare first name. Currently, it ranks 5,884th among the most common female baby names. Its best ranking was in 2010, reaching 2,348th place. In the last ten years, the name has been given about 30 times as a first name, placing it 4,714th in the ten-year statistics. From 2010 to 2024, Sunniva ranks 4,055th.

Nicknames & pet names

Iva / Niva / Siva / Sun / Suna / Sunni / Sunny / Susu

Famous people

• St. Sunniva (Saint)
• Sunniva Gulbrandsen (Norwegian singer)
• Sunniva Hakestad Moller (Norwegian politician)
• Sunniva of Selje (Norwegian saint)