Nova
Girl name · #46 in 2025 · Uniqueness 42/100
Nova ranks #46 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 4,657 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #213, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 387 girls born in 2025 was named Nova.
The 140-year story
Nova first appears in the Social Security records in 1885, when 12 girls received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2022, with 5,927 babies and a rank of #32. 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 Nova per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Nova against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Nova in class?
Nova scores 42 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 Nova is most common
Geography matters for names, and Nova is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Novas were TX (416), CA (326), FL (319), OH (217), GA (212). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Nova
Statistically, parents drawn to Nova tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Luna, Mila, Emilia, Isla, and Nora.
LunaMilaEmiliaIslaNoraAylaElenaWillow
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Nova | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4,657 | #46 |
| 2024 | 5,072 | #39 |
| 2023 | 5,282 | #35 |
| 2022 | 5,927 | #32 |
| 2021 | 5,574 | #32 |
| 2020 | 5,006 | #38 |
| 2019 | 4,332 | #51 |
| 2018 | 4,174 | #55 |
| 2017 | 3,057 | #94 |
| 2016 | 2,286 | #136 |
| 2015 | 1,529 | #213 |
| 2014 | 1,136 | #287 |
| 2013 | 567 | #527 |
| 2012 | 463 | #618 |
| 2011 | 295 | #885 |
| 2010 | 218 | #1127 |
| 2009 | 231 | #1105 |
| 2008 | 178 | #1359 |
| 2007 | 147 | #1551 |
| 2006 | 106 | #1905 |
| 2005 | 103 | #1878 |
| 2004 | 114 | #1698 |
| 2003 | 99 | #1858 |
| 2002 | 91 | #1934 |
| 2001 | 86 | #1978 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Nova a popular girl name?
Nova ranked #46 among girls in 2025 with 4,657 babies given the name — firmly in the top 100, so yes, it’s a popular choice. Ten years earlier it ranked #213.
When was the name Nova most popular?
Nova peaked in 2022, when 5,927 American girls received the name (ranked #32 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Nova?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 387 newborn American girls was named Nova. It scores 42/100 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.