Dov

Dov - A very unique male name

Dov appeared on the charts for the first time in 1949 on position #1360. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Dov and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Dov? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Dov. The baby boy name Dov was given to 105 baby boys in 2025, ranking #1270 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 13,965 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Dov peaked in popularity 4 years ago in 2022 on position 1106.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Dov, 1-5?

Dov is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Dov is currently topping the baby name charts in New York at position #249 - and is the least popular in Pennsylvania at position #1,281.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Dov is where you live.

---

Comment and discuss

---

Dov origin and meaning

Hebrew

'Bear' in Hebrew

Dov is a straightforward Hebrew word name meaning bear, used in Jewish families for centuries and still current in Israel and Orthodox communities. It is short, strong and unambiguous in Hebrew, though English speakers sometimes need the pronunciation shown once.

Attested etymology

Dov is a 3 letter name with 1 syllables.

To see famous people named Dov, pop culture references for the name Dov and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Dov

We've found the following names that sound similar to Dov, sorted by popularity.

Dave / Dev / Davi / Davey / Davie / Davy / Deep / Debbie / Duff / Dovi /

---

Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Dov

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Dov a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Dov?

1 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

---

Pronunciation

DOHV · /doʊv/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Famous bearers

• Dov Charney — Founder of American Apparel (b. 1969) Contemporary

Style

International

Why parents choose it

Parents choose Dov for its brevity and its solid Hebrew meaning — a whole animal name in three letters.

Worth knowing

• English speakers may read it as the bird 'dove' rather than DOHV