Dove
Girl name · #1484 in 2025 · Uniqueness 36/100
In 2025, 144 baby girls were named Dove, placing it at #1484 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #6977, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 12,500 girls born in 2025 was named Dove.
The 145-year story
Dove first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 8 girls received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 144 babies and a rank of #1484. 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 Dove per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Dove against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Dove in class?
Dove scores 36 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 Dove is most common
Geography matters for names, and Dove is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Doves were TX (15), CA (14), OH (9), FL (7), PA (7). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Dove
Statistically, parents drawn to Dove tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Cove, Love, Junie, Kove, and Davie.
CoveLoveJunieKoveDavieRueJrueDua
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Dove | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 144 | #1484 |
| 2024 | 128 | #1622 |
| 2023 | 89 | #2142 |
| 2022 | 87 | #2174 |
| 2021 | 75 | #2384 |
| 2020 | 51 | #3091 |
| 2019 | 30 | #4546 |
| 2018 | 26 | #5007 |
| 2017 | 27 | #4922 |
| 2016 | 20 | #6186 |
| 2015 | 17 | #6977 |
| 2014 | 20 | #6207 |
| 2013 | 16 | #7372 |
| 2012 | 9 | #11257 |
| 2011 | 8 | #12153 |
| 2009 | 5 | #17294 |
| 2008 | 5 | #17504 |
| 2007 | 8 | #12676 |
| 2006 | 12 | #9286 |
| 2005 | 5 | #16462 |
| 2003 | 8 | #11325 |
| 2001 | 5 | #15352 |
| 2000 | 7 | #11801 |
| 1999 | 6 | #12688 |
| 1998 | 10 | #8584 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Dove a popular girl name?
Dove ranked #1484 among girls in 2025 with 144 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #6977.
When was the name Dove most popular?
Dove peaked in 2025, when 144 American girls received the name (ranked #1484 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Dove?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 12,500 newborn American girls was named Dove. It scores 36/100 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.