Dov
Boy name · #1454 in 2025 · Uniqueness 65/100
Dov ranks #1454 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 123 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1434, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 14,634 boys born in 2025 was named Dov.
The 76-year story
Dov first appears in the Social Security records in 1949, when 9 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2022, with 160 babies and a rank of #1228. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Dov per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Dov against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Dov in class?
Dov scores 65 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Dov is most common
Geography matters for names, and Dov is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Dovs were NY (77), NJ (23), PA (5). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Dov
Statistically, parents drawn to Dov tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Yakov, Dev, Davi, Yaakov, and Dhruv.
YakovDevDaviYaakovDhruvDaniloShivZev
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Dov | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 123 | #1451 |
| 2024 | 137 | #1371 |
| 2023 | 153 | #1258 |
| 2022 | 160 | #1228 |
| 2021 | 143 | #1307 |
| 2020 | 115 | #1478 |
| 2019 | 134 | #1340 |
| 2018 | 115 | #1498 |
| 2017 | 118 | #1449 |
| 2016 | 142 | #1279 |
| 2015 | 119 | #1434 |
| 2014 | 98 | #1597 |
| 2013 | 86 | #1709 |
| 2012 | 94 | #1637 |
| 2011 | 98 | #1577 |
| 2010 | 75 | #1898 |
| 2009 | 81 | #1825 |
| 2008 | 54 | #2374 |
| 2007 | 75 | #1890 |
| 2006 | 71 | #1893 |
| 2005 | 55 | #2182 |
| 2004 | 58 | #2051 |
| 2003 | 53 | #2102 |
| 2002 | 51 | #2092 |
| 2001 | 62 | #1800 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Dov a popular boy name?
Dov ranked #1454 among boys in 2025 with 123 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1434.
When was the name Dov most popular?
Dov peaked in 2022, when 160 American boys received the name (ranked #1228 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Dov?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 14,634 newborn American boys was named Dov. It scores 65/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.