Bibiana

Meaning of Bibiana

Bibiana is a feminine appellation of Latin provenance that emerged through the medieval hagiographical tradition surrounding Saint Bibiana, a fourth-century Roman martyr, and has been embraced principally within Italian and Spanish linguistic communities (pronounced /biˈbjaːna/ in Italian and /biˈβjana/ in Spanish). Etymologically, it represents a variant of Viviana, rooted in the Latin vivus, “alive,” yet bears the distinctive orthographic imprint introduced by ecclesiastical transmission. In the United States, Bibiana has maintained a deliberate, low-volume presence among female newborns, with annual tallies ranging from approximately five to twenty and a national ranking that has oscillated between the 700s and 950s over the last several decades—most recently placing 937th in 2024 with 13 occurrences. This sustained but modest frequency underscores its appeal to those who seek a name of precise historical lineage and subdued cultural resonance rather than broad popular currency.