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Dov as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Dov

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The baby name Dov is a Male name , 1 syllables long and is pronounced /dov/ (DOHV).

Dov is Hebrew in Origin.

Gender: Male
Syllables: 1.0
Origin: Hebrew
Pronunciation: /dov/ (DOHV)

What is the meaning of the name Dov ?

The baby name Dov is a Male name , 1 syllables long and is pronounced /dov/ (DOHV).

Dov is Hebrew in Origin.

Dov is a Hebrew given name (דֹב/דב/דוב), literally “bear,” shared with Aramaic dob and parallel to Yiddish ber from German Bär. The term appears in the Hebrew Bible as the animal, though not as a personal name, lending associations of strength, protection, and steadfastness. Pronounced “dohv,” it has been steadily used in Jewish communities and is common in modern Israel.

As a personal name, Dov spread through medieval Ashkenaz, often forming the tautological double name Dov Ber (both words mean “bear”), especially in Hasidic lineages; notable bearers include Dov Ber of Mezeritch and Dov Ber Schneuri (the Mitteler Rebbe). Variants and diminutives include Ber, Berel, Berke, Dovi, and Dubi; in Hebrew it may be spelled דב or דוב, while Dov is the standard English form today. Modern adaptations sometimes translate the idea with Bear in English, while the feminine Deborah (Dvora) is unrelated despite superficial similarity.

Dov has the following similar or variant Names

Dov – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
TM Boys 0 #36 1 614
CN 0 #86 1 3,857
Switzerland Boys 2024 #135 3 1,769
LT Boys 0 #150 2 2,166
CR 0 #165 1 5,526
HU Boys 0 #173 2 3,954
PS 0 #187 32 5,692
LT Girls 0 #200 1 1,904
IL 0 #213 62 6,291
BG Boys 0 #220 1 3,850
IL Boys 0 #233 583 10,983
SG 0 #282 1 11,010
Canada Boys 2023 #303 7 2,601
CZ Boys 0 #305 1 6,530
PS Boys 0 #315 270 10,655
DK Girls 0 #329 1 7,429
CN Boys 0 #331 1 9,639
PL Boys 0 #340 1 6,459
CZ Girls 0 #351 1 5,378
MY 0 #354 1 12,352
MU Boys 0 #368 2 8,477
France Boys 2021 #381 7 2,865
PT Boys 0 #381 1 7,951
PH Boys 0 #408 1 11,440
ZA 0 #474 1 14,421
AR Boys 0 #483 1 7,628
PA Boys 0 #505 1 9,305
CR Boys 0 #510 1 10,188
RU Boys 0 #526 1 12,621
GT Girls 0 #540 2 7,500
PS Girls 0 #546 2 10,981
HK Boys 0 #557 1 12,905
IR Boys 0 #565 1 10,162
IL Girls 0 #642 4 11,648
LB 0 #690 1 13,263
CL Boys 0 #699 2 13,390
SG Boys 0 #739 1 17,960
QA Boys 0 #743 1 18,093
United States Boys 2024 #760 133 7,044
BR Boys 0 #785 1 12,213
TN 0 #865 1 13,765
CL Girls 0 #914 2 14,098
EG Boys 0 #924 2 15,035
PE Boys 0 #926 1 14,506
BR Girls 0 #992 1 12,708
EG Girls 0 #1,009 1 14,742
SA Girls 0 #1,013 2 25,931
MX Boys 0 #1,033 1 16,355
IN Boys 0 #1,038 2 16,750
CO Girls 0 #1,152 1 16,140
ZA Boys 0 #1,165 14 25,619
MY Boys 0 #1,181 2 25,439
MA 0 #1,192 8 20,986
DZ 0 #1,229 6 20,130
TR 0 #1,254 1 19,440
SA Boys 0 #1,690 2 28,008

Dov is popular in 41 countries — most recent births per country:

France
United States
Canada
New York City (White, non-Hispanic), United States
Switzerland

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People also ask about Dov

Dov is predominantly a boy's name.
Dov is a one syllable name, pronounced /dov/ (DOHV).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Dovi, Dovy and Dov-Ber.
Yes — Dov ranked #135 in Switzerland in 2024, and appears in official birth registries across 4 countries.
Dov ranks highest in Switzerland (#135 in 2024).
Dov's popularity is rising significantly. It moved from #405 in 2011 to #381 in 2021 in France.