Meaning of name Viola

The names of some famous persons by the name Viola (or its variants) are:

Bill Viola, born on 25 January, a famous artist . Bill Viola's background: A contemporary video artist. With a career spanning 35 years his significant contribution to the genre of video art is today widely acknowledged on the international stage.

Frank Viola, born on 19 April, a famous baseballer . Frank Viola's background: A former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Minnesota Twins (1982-89), New York Mets (1989-91), Boston Red Sox (1992-94), Cincinnati Reds (1995) and Toronto Blue Jays (1996). He batted and threw left-handed, and was nicknamed 'Sweet Music' - an unusual nickname he picked up after a Minnesota sports writer declared that when Viola pitched, there was sweet music in the Dome. The nickname was a play on the fact that his last name is also a name of a musical instrument. A fan began displaying a banner bearing the phrase in the outfield's upper deck whenever Viola pitched. Twins fans considered the banner to be a good luck charm. The banner is now property of the Minnesota Historical society. It was again displayed when Viola was inducted into the Twins Hall of Fame.

Paulinho da Viola, born on 12 November, a famous singer . Paulinho da Viola's background: A Brazilian sambista, singer/songwriter, guitar, cavaquinho and mandolin player, known for his sophisticated harmonies and soft, gentle singing voice. By the 1970s, Paulinho was at the most prolific stage of his career, releasing an average of one album per year. He was already a household name in samba, choro and MPB circles and broadened his audience by touring all over Brazil and also playing at festivals in Europe and the U.S.. His productivity and popularity had waned by the mid-80s, when he decided to focus more on his songwriting. In 1996 he regained notoriety after releasing the much-acclaimed album Bebadosamba, in which he once again joined forces with Hermínio Bello de Carvalho and Elton Medeiros, his early songwriting partners. A 2003 documentary called “Meu Tempo é Hoje” (My Time is Now) depicted his personal and public lives, including his relationship with his native Rio de Janeiro and its samba community. “The film depicts, both with enthusiasm and restraint, the life of a true prince,” wrote Brazilian journalist and critic José Nêummane in a review. He still lives in Rio de Janeiro and performs around Brazil.