Given name & surname · also Native American
Nova
“new; a bright star”·“a butterfly chaser”·“new”
Nova is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “new; a bright star”, “a butterfly chaser”, and “new”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “new; a bright star”, “a butterfly chaser”, and “new”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Where it comes from
This spelling has been associated with Latin and Native American naming traditions.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Nova through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 59,010
- 3,227 boys · 55,783 girls
- Most popular year
- 2022
- 6,198 babies
- 2025
- 4,806
- #46 for girls · #1,308 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +38%
- Rising
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 5% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 4,657 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 46 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 40.6% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. It also appeared in 149 birth records for boys in 2025. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (416). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 21,292 as a first name in 2020; 3,050 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Nova’s family of names
Nova has a related form in Novella. Nova has a related form in Novia. Nova has a related form in Novie.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 14
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Show 6 moreShow fewer
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
People named Nova
- Nova PerisAustralian politician, hockey player and sprinterborn 1971
- Nova Widiantobadminton playerborn 1977
- Nova PilbeamBritish actress (1919-2015)
- Nova IriansyahIndonesian politicianborn 1963
- Nova AriantoIndonesian footballerborn 1978
- Nova VillaFilipino actressborn 1947
- Nova MarringDutch volleyball playerborn 2001
- Nova SpivackAmerican businessmanborn 1969
- Nova Riyanti YusufIndonesian writer, psychiatrist and politicianborn 1977
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Nova, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Stella
“star of the sea”
>99% girls
Gemma
“gem, jewel” · “as precious as a jewel”
>99% girls
Poppy
“resembling the red flower”
>99% girls
Azalea
“of the dry earth; resembling the flower” · “one who is spared by God”
>99% girls
Coral
Coral is used as a given name and a surname. One English interpretation is “resembling the semiprecious sea growth; from the reef.”
>99% girls
Nyla
“from the Nile river”
>99% girls
Mohala
“resembling the unfolding of a flower”
>99% girls
Ávila
“bird”
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