Nova is an old word, but a modern-sounding name. Meaning "new" in Latin, Nova refers to a star that appears as a sudden, bright light that gradually fades into the night sky. This astronomical phenomenon has sparked the imagination of artists and poets for centuries, and it's no wonder that it eventually inspired parents looking for a beautiful baby name.
Nova is almost certainly gaining popularity due to parents' increasing efforts to give their children unique names. Nova is just one letter away from the popular name Nora, but with a twist that means your child will probably be the only kid on the playground who answers to this name.
Nova is a gender-neutral name, though it's much more common for baby girls. It was on the Social Security Administration (SSA) list of the top 1,000 girl names from 1900 until 1938, then fell into obscurity for the next 70 years. In 2011 it reappeared on the SSA list and has rapidly risen since then to the top 50 names for girls.
Creative baby names come in many forms, but Nova is an especially attractive choice because of its cool meaning – a bright star. As a short, vowel-laden name, Nova is similar to other popular names like Noah, Liam, Aria, Emma, and Ava.
There have been a few notable people named Nova, including Aboriginal Australian Olympian Nova Maree Peris, English actress Nova Pilbeam, and American author Nova Ren Suma. Nova is also part of the name Nova Scotia (Latin for New Scotland), and could be used as a tribute to the Canadian province.
With its brilliant meaning and unique flair, Nova is sure to continue to shine brightly as a baby name.
Nova Arianto : Indonesian professional soccer coach and former player
Nova Pilbeam : English actress who appeared in two Alfred Hitchcock films
Nova Ren Suma : American author of young adult novels including The Walls Around Us
Nova Peris : Aboriginal Australian Olympic athlete and former politician
Nova Miller : Swedish actress, singer, multi-instrumentalist, and dancer
Nova Pilbeam : actress
Nova Van Dijk : actress