Dover as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Dover

What is the meaning of the name Dover ?

The baby name Dover is a Unisex name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced DOH-vər (IPA: /ˈdoʊvər/).

Dover is Celtic, English in Origin.

Dover is an English toponymic name taken from the port town in Kent, whose Roman name was Dubris. This traces to Brittonic dubras, “waters,” the same root seen in Welsh dŵr, Breton dour, and Cornish dowr. The reference is to the River Dour and the site’s freshwater springs, so the core meaning is “the waters” or “water place,” evoking flow, sea-crossing, and a coastal gateway.

As a given name, Dover is rare but documented in Britain and the United States from the 19th century, following the surname/place-name trend; it also appears occasionally in modern use (for example, filmmaker Dover Kosashvili). Most common as a surname indicating origin from the town, it carries crisp, nautical associations. Variants are minimal; spelling alternatives are not standard, though Dove functions as a natural nickname, with Dovey as a colloquial, affectionate form.