Nova
Girl · NOH-va · Latin
Nova is a girls' name of Latin origin, meaning “new”. In 2025 it ranked 71st for girls in the UK (723 babies) and 46th for girls in the US (4,657 babies).
What does Nova mean?
Latin
“new”
A nova is a star that suddenly flares brighter, from Latin stella nova, 'new star'.
- Say it
- NOH-va
More on Wiktionary.
Is Nova a girl's or a boy's name?
Nova is a girls' name. In 2025, it was given to 723 girls and 18 boys in the UK and 4,657 girls and 149 boys in the US.
How popular is Nova in the UK?
- Rank in 2025
- #71among girls
- Babies in 2025
- 723about 1 in 390 girls
- Five-year trend
- Rising fastup 105% in five years
- Same name in a class
- 3.6%chance among 15 girls
In 2025, 723 girls in the UK were named Nova, making it the 71st most popular name for girls. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 150th. 18 boys were also named Nova in 2025 (1,537th for boys).
It has been given to more girls each year for the last 14 years. 2025 had the most girls named Nova of any year since the records began in 1996.
Half of all the girls named Nova in the UK since 1996 were born between 2019 and 2024, the years shaded on the chart below.
In 2025, 763 girls in the UK were given Nova or a name that sounds the same. With every name's spellings counted this way, that ranks #75.
- Nova 723
- Novah 40
Among girls in 2025, it was 68th in England and Wales, 74th in Scotland and 121st in Northern Ireland.
In the England and Wales top 100 for girls, which the ONS has published every ten years since 1904: 2024 (#80).
Nova in the UK, year by year
| Year | Girls | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 723 | #71 |
| 2024 | 695 | #75 |
| 2023 | 651 | #80 |
| 2022 | 614 | #90 |
| 2021 | 546 | #104 |
| 2020 | 391 | #150 |
| 2019 | 318 | #178 |
| 2018 | 300 | #193 |
| 2017 | 201 | #273 |
| 2016 | 134 | #378 |
| 2015 | 92 | #513 |
| 2014 | 55 | #772 |
| 2013 | 33 | #1,142 |
| 2012 | 19 | #1,681 |
| 2011 | 10 | #2,582 |
| 2010 | 10 | #2,540 |
| 2009 | 11 | #2,298 |
| 2008 | 5 | #4,065 |
| 2007 | 4 | #4,494 |
| 2006 | 9 | #2,451 |
| 2005 | 4 | #4,150 |
| 2004 | 1 | #6,173 |
| 2003 | 5 | #3,233 |
| 2002 | 0 | – |
| 2001 | 6 | #2,587 |
| 2000 | 3 | #4,074 |
| 1999 | 0 | – |
| 1998 | 1 | #5,152 |
| 1997 | 0 | – |
| 1996 | 1 | #5,054 |
How popular is Nova in the US?
- Rank in 2025
- #46among girls
- Babies in 2025
- 4,657about 1 in 350 girls
- Five-year trend
- Steadyup 11% in five years
- Same name in a class
- 4%chance among 15 girls
In 2025, 4,657 girls in the US were named Nova, making it the 46th most popular name for girls. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 38th. Its busiest year was 2022, with 5,927 girls. It first appears in the records in 1885. 149 boys were also named Nova in 2025 (1,305th for boys).
It has been given to fewer girls each year for the last 3 years. 2025 had fewer girls named Nova than any year since 2019.
Half of all the girls named Nova in the US since 1880 were born between 2017 and 2023, the years shaded on the chart below.
In 2025, 4,914 girls in the US were given Nova or a name that sounds the same. With every name's spellings counted this way, that ranks #54.
Nova in the US, year by year
| Year | Girls | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4,657 | #46 |
| 2024 | 5,072 | #39 |
| 2023 | 5,282 | #35 |
| 2022 | 5,927 | #32 |
| 2021 | 5,574 | #32 |
| 2020 | 5,006 | #38 |
| 2019 | 4,332 | #51 |
| 2018 | 4,174 | #55 |
| 2017 | 3,057 | #94 |
| 2016 | 2,286 | #136 |
| 2015 | 1,529 | #213 |
| 2014 | 1,136 | #287 |
| 2013 | 567 | #527 |
| 2012 | 463 | #618 |
| 2011 | 295 | #885 |
| 2010 | 218 | #1,127 |
| 2009 | 231 | #1,105 |
| 2008 | 178 | #1,359 |
| 2007 | 147 | #1,551 |
| 2006 | 106 | #1,905 |
| 2005 | 103 | #1,877 |
| 2004 | 114 | #1,697 |
| 2003 | 99 | #1,857 |
| 2002 | 91 | #1,932 |
| 2001 | 86 | #1,974 |
| 2000 | 66 | #2,328 |
| 1999 | 55 | #2,564 |
| 1998 | 54 | #2,527 |
| 1997 | 38 | #3,102 |
| 1996 | 24 | #4,301 |
| 1995 | 22 | #4,513 |
| 1994 | 19 | #5,011 |
| 1993 | 21 | #4,665 |
| 1992 | 11 | #7,504 |
| 1991 | 20 | #4,802 |
| 1990 | 25 | #3,998 |
| 1989 | 16 | #5,280 |
| 1988 | 19 | #4,491 |
| 1987 | 20 | #4,119 |
| 1986 | 26 | #3,358 |
| 1985 | 38 | #2,544 |
| 1984 | 36 | #2,573 |
| 1983 | 36 | #2,515 |
| 1982 | 50 | #2,050 |
| 1981 | 53 | #1,985 |
| 1980 | 66 | #1,704 |
| 1979 | 70 | #1,605 |
| 1978 | 56 | #1,804 |
| 1977 | 85 | #1,341 |
| 1976 | 65 | #1,551 |
| 1975 | 57 | #1,672 |
| 1974 | 53 | #1,709 |
| 1973 | 48 | #1,788 |
| 1972 | 58 | #1,578 |
| 1971 | 46 | #1,877 |
| 1970 | 51 | #1,755 |
| 1969 | 36 | #2,102 |
| 1968 | 29 | #2,246 |
| 1967 | 35 | #1,980 |
| 1966 | 38 | #1,859 |
| 1965 | 35 | #1,950 |
| 1964 | 50 | #1,610 |
| 1963 | 72 | #1,298 |
| 1962 | 50 | #1,597 |
| 1961 | 23 | #2,542 |
| 1960 | 34 | #1,952 |
| 1959 | 21 | #2,516 |
| 1958 | 19 | #2,662 |
| 1957 | 26 | #2,167 |
| 1956 | 31 | #1,930 |
| 1955 | 39 | #1,640 |
| 1954 | 27 | #2,026 |
| 1953 | 25 | #2,070 |
| 1952 | 33 | #1,712 |
| 1951 | 33 | #1,664 |
| 1950 | 29 | #1,763 |
| 1949 | 42 | #1,422 |
| 1948 | 44 | #1,385 |
| 1947 | 34 | #1,632 |
| 1946 | 33 | #1,531 |
| 1945 | 27 | #1,587 |
| 1944 | 29 | #1,518 |
| 1943 | 39 | #1,304 |
| 1942 | 42 | #1,229 |
| 1941 | 35 | #1,294 |
| 1940 | 44 | #1,088 |
| 1939 | 49 | #1,009 |
| 1938 | 68 | #857 |
| 1937 | 53 | #950 |
| 1936 | 56 | #909 |
| 1935 | 72 | #798 |
| 1934 | 78 | #756 |
| 1933 | 58 | #887 |
| 1932 | 73 | #795 |
| 1931 | 75 | #777 |
| 1930 | 75 | #818 |
| 1929 | 104 | #690 |
| 1928 | 84 | #781 |
| 1927 | 77 | #839 |
| 1926 | 75 | #854 |
| 1925 | 94 | #764 |
| 1924 | 89 | #788 |
| 1923 | 80 | #819 |
| 1922 | 86 | #784 |
| 1921 | 91 | #766 |
| 1920 | 111 | #690 |
| 1919 | 87 | #752 |
| 1918 | 79 | #802 |
| 1917 | 85 | #753 |
| 1916 | 81 | #761 |
| 1915 | 69 | #791 |
| 1914 | 47 | #855 |
| 1913 | 59 | #674 |
| 1912 | 54 | #678 |
| 1911 | 36 | #722 |
| 1910 | 32 | #753 |
| 1909 | 39 | #624 |
| 1908 | 36 | #639 |
| 1907 | 32 | #666 |
| 1906 | 27 | #707 |
| 1905 | 30 | #642 |
| 1904 | 24 | #710 |
| 1903 | 21 | #734 |
| 1902 | 18 | #818 |
| 1901 | 23 | #659 |
| 1900 | 29 | #656 |
| 1899 | 20 | #704 |
| 1898 | 30 | #586 |
| 1897 | 18 | #735 |
| 1896 | 24 | #635 |
| 1895 | 20 | #703 |
| 1894 | 18 | #697 |
| 1893 | 9 | #1,023 |
| 1892 | 20 | #638 |
| 1891 | 13 | #750 |
| 1890 | 15 | #693 |
| 1889 | 12 | #757 |
| 1888 | 15 | #663 |
| 1887 | 6 | #1,036 |
| 1886 | 7 | #897 |
| 1885 | 12 | #629 |
Names like Nova
Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.
Luna Orla Aurora Lyla Lyra Nora Mila Myla Emilia Thea Zara Isla
Other spellings of Nova
Names related to Nova
More Latin names
Oliver Olivia Leo Roman Emily Florence Mabel Rosie Max Lucy Julian Clara Anthony Austin Felix Camila