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Home › Baby Names Directory › Tove

Tove

♀ Girl

Pronounced TOH-vuh /ˈtoʊ.və/Medium

Meaning: From the Old Norse Tofa, a short form of names with the element Thor (the thunder god); also linked to Danish 'dove'; we note the deity linkLow

In 30 seconds: Of Thor; dove: Tove is Old Norse. Crisp, classic, and warm (said 'TOH-vuh').
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Origin LowOld Norse
MeaningFrom the Old Norse Tofa, a short form of names with the element Thor (the thunder god); also linked to Danish 'dove'; we note the deity link
U.S. rank (2025)#6807 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births17 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2023
Total births (all-time)≈ 279

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202319302025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Tove comes from the Old Norse Tofa, a short form of names with the element Thor (the thunder god; we note the deity link); it is also linked to Danish 'dove' (routes layered). A crisp, classic name (made known by Moomins author Tove Jansson; said 'TOH-vuh').

In the U.S. it appears in Scandinavian families. Rare, of-Thor at the root, and classic.

Did you know? Tove comes from the Old Norse Tofa, a short form of names with the element Thor (the thunder god) — a crisp, classic name (also linked to Danish 'dove'; the routes are layered, which we note; made known by author Tove Jansson; said 'TOH-vuh').
Overall data confidence 40%
References — Tove — deity link noted

Variations

TovaTuvaTovah

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

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If you like Tove…

Tova— a kin spelling
Signe— a sound-neighbor Norse girls' name
Solveig— a companion Norse girls' name
Torvi— another Old Norse name
Ronnie— a fellow Old Norse choice

Explore names like Tove

By themeuncertainold-norse
By meaningGod / DivineBird

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Tove mean?

Tove is Old Norse, a short form of names with the element Thor (the thunder god); also linked to 'dove'. We note the deity link.

How do you pronounce Tove?

It's said TOH-vuh /ˈtoʊ.və/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Tove a boy or girl name?

Tove is a girl's name.

How popular is Tove?

Tove is a rare name in the U.S.

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