Vivien

Vivien is the original form of the now more common name Vivienne. Both of the names are of Latin origin, but the form Vivien can be used for both boys and girls whereas the form Vivienne is usually feminine. Vivien is a popular name in France where the name was used for a character common to Medieval French tales who was a martyr figure. The name is taken ultimately from the Latin Vivianus which means ‘alive’. The form Vivienne became the more popular, probably because of its introduction to English speaking countries by the fame of dame Vivienne Westwood.