Nova
/NOH-və/
Nova is a girl name of Latin origin, meaning New; a star that suddenly brightens.
- GenderGirl
- OriginLatin
- StyleModern
- Syllables2
- US rank#33
What does Nova mean?
New; a star that suddenly brightens
Nova is the Latin feminine of novus, "new". In astronomy a nova is a star that abruptly brightens by several magnitudes - the term is short for stella nova, "new star", coined because such a star appears where none was visible before.
The story behind the name
Nova was almost unknown as a given name until the 2010s. Its rise is one of the steepest of the last decade: from outside the American top thousand in 2011 to the top forty by 2020.
It belongs to a cluster of celestial names - Luna, Aurora, Stella, Nova - that arrived together, and it has the additional advantage of meaning something plain and optimistic in half a dozen Romance languages.
Notable people named Nova
- Nova, the astronomical event
How popular is Nova?
Nova has been given to 31,238 babies in the United States since 1880, peaking in the 2010s. It has been climbing over the last two decades.
About 1 in 314 babies born in the United States were given this name in the most recent year on record.
Variants and related names
Other spellings: Novah
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Start swiping - it's freeFrequently asked questions about Nova
What does the name Nova mean?
Nova means New; a star that suddenly brightens. It is of Latin origin.
Is Nova a boy's or a girl's name?
Nova is most often given to girls.
How do you pronounce Nova?
Nova is pronounced NOH-və.
How popular is the name Nova?
Nova has been given to 31,238 babies in the United States since 1880, peaking in the 2010s. It has been climbing over the last two decades.
What are other spellings of Nova?
Common variants include Novah.