The first name Nova
A girl’s name from Latin meaning “new”.
2 syllables Female Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Latin origin
Nova means “new” in Latin.
From Latin nova (“new”).
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 650 girls were named Nova, making it the 68th most popular girls’ name.
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Nova with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Nova at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 4,657 girls born in the United States were named Nova, the 46th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 2022, when 5,927 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Famous people named Nova
3 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Nova PerisAustralian politician, hockey player and sprinter, born 1971
- Nova WidiantoBadminton player, born 1977
- Nova PilbeamBritish actress (1919-2015)
More Latin girls’ names
Questions
- What does the name Nova mean?
- Nova means “new” in Latin.
- What is the origin of the name Nova?
- From Latin nova (“new”).
- How popular is the name Nova?
- In 2025, 650 girls born in England and Wales were named Nova, ranking 68th.
- Is Nova a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 95% of the 59,010 US babies named Nova since 1880 were girls.
- When was Nova most popular?
- 2022 in the United States, when 5,927 babies were named Nova, its highest rank at 32nd.
- Is Nova also a surname?
- Yes. Nova is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.