Sunniva is a female name of Scandinavian origin, meaning "Sun Gift." It is the Norwegian form of the Old English name Sunngifu and is associated with Saint Sunniva, a 10th-century saint who is the patron saint of the Diocese of Bjørgvin and Western Norway. According to legend, Sunniva and her brother Alban fled to the uninhabited islands of Selja and Kinn in Norway to escape a heathen king's marriage proposal. When their Christian community was threatened, they prayed for divine intervention, leading to the collapse of the caves they were hiding in, resulting in their deaths. Later, Sunniva's incorrupt body was discovered, and her relics were venerated, leading to the construction of the Benedictine Selje Abbey and the widespread celebration of her feast day on 8 July. The name Sunniva is still in use in Norway and has variations like Synnøve and Synne, with its popularity fluctuating over the years.