Nova
Meaning of Nova
Derived from the Latin adjective nova, the feminine form of novus meaning “new,” Nova entered the Anglo-American lexicon in the late nineteenth century and, over time, has accrued layers of astronomical and cultural resonance. Pronounced NO-vuh, it mirrors the astrophysical term for a star that abruptly brightens before fading, a phenomenon that imbues the name with associations of brilliance, renewal, and transience. While its early use in the United States was statistically minor, the name’s frequency remained measurable for more than a century before accelerating sharply after 2010; from fewer than 1,600 registrations in 2015 to well over 5,000 annual births by 2023, Nova has advanced from the fringes to the upper echelons of national popularity. This surge aligns with broader naming trends that favor concise, vowel-forward constructions and imaginative, nature- or science-laden imagery. Consequently, Nova now serves parents as a technically streamlined, two-syllable choice that signals both classical erudition and a forward-looking, cosmological optimism—an emblem of something perpetually “new” yet grounded in Latin antiquity.
Pronunciation
American English
- Pronunced as NO-vuh (/ˈnoʊvə/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
States Popularity Chart
Notable People Named Nova
| Nova Peris is an Aboriginal Australian athlete and former senator who won 1996 Olympic hockey gold as the first Aboriginal Australian, later sprinted at the 1998 Commonwealth Games and 2000 Olympics, and served in the Senate from 2013 to 2016. |
| Nova Rockafeller, born Nova Leigh Paholek, is a Canadian indie rapper, singer, songwriter, and music video director. |
