Given name & surname
Tove
“God is good”·“The Lord is good”
Tove is a variant of Toviel. Interpretations include “God is good” (Hebrew) and “The Lord is good” (Hebrew). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Tove is a variant of Toviel. Interpretations include “God is good” (Hebrew) and “The Lord is good” (Hebrew). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Old Norse.
How it developed
Tove is a short form of Þorfríðr. In Danish usage, Tove is a short form of Þórr.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1930. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Tove through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 279
- 0 boys · 279 girls
- Most popular year
- 2023
- 20 babies
- 2025
- 17
- #6,807 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +54%
- Rising fast
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 17 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 6,807 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 53.6% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 494 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Tove’s family of names
Tove is a short form of Þorfríðr. In Danish usage, Tove has a later derivative in Tova. Tove has a related form in Toviel.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Tove has relatives in 5 languages. Lines run from its Old Norse roots to each of them.
4 related names in 5 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 6
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 2
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Tove
- Tove JanssonFinnish children's writer and illustrator (1914–2001)
- Tove DitlevsenDanish poet and author (1917–1976)
- Tove StyrkeSwedish singer and songwriterborn 1992
- Tove AlexanderssonSwedish female orienteer and ski orienteerborn 1992
- Tove of the ObotritesSlavic princess and Danish Viking Age queen consort1000
- Tove SøbyDanish canoe racerborn 1933
- Tove Skutnabb-KangasFinnish linguist (1940–2023)
- Tove AlsterdalSwedish journalist and authorborn 1960
- Tove EnblomSwedish association football player (born 1994)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Tove, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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