Unisex · #15,178 in 2026

Ova

The egg cell or ovum is the female reproductive cell, or gamete, in most anisogamous organisms. The term is used when the female gamete is not capable of movement (non-motile). If the male gamete (sperm) is capable of movement, the type of sexual reproduction is also classified as oogamous.

Current Rank
#15,178
Peak Rank
#1,010 (1919)
Total Babies
1K
5-Yr Trend
Stable
👧 Girl peak #1,010 (1K total)
👦 Boy peak #1,404 (528 total)
👧As Girl Name
1881
First Year
2023
Last Year
1919
Peak Year
#1010
Peak Rank
1K
Total Count
70
Years Active
👦As Boy Name
1885
First Year
1964
Last Year
1918
Peak Year
#1404
Peak Rank
528
Total Count
47
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Ova

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

The egg cell or ovum is the female reproductive cell, or gamete, in most anisogamous organisms. The term is used when the female gamete is not capable of movement (non-motile). If the male gamete (sperm) is capable of movement, the type of sexual reproduction is also classified as oogamous.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Origin & history
While the non-mammalian animal egg was obvious, the doctrine ex ovo omne vivum ("every living [animal comes from] an egg"), associated with William Harvey (1578–1657), was a rejection of spontaneous generation and preformationism as well as a bold assumption that mammals also reproduced via eggs. Karl Ernst von Baer discovered the mammalian ovum in 1827. The fusion of spermatozoa with ova (of a starfish) was observed by Oskar Hertwig in 1876.

The Story of Ova

As a girl name

Ova first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1881, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1919, when 51 Ovas were born — ranking #1,010 that year. As of 2026, Ova ranks #15,178 for girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 1K Ovas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.

As a boy name

Ova first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1885, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1918, when 26 Ovas were born — ranking #1,404 that year. As of 2026, Ova ranks #4,037 for boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 528 Ovas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Girls Boys

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Ova

Phonetically similar names — useful when Ova is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Ova

What does the name Ova mean?
The egg cell or ovum is the female reproductive cell, or gamete, in most anisogamous organisms. The term is used when the female gamete is not capable of movement (non-motile). If the male gamete (sperm) is capable of movement, the type of sexual reproduction is also classified as oogamous.
How popular is Ova in 2026?
In 2026, Ova ranks #15,178 among girls' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.
When was Ova most popular?
Ova reached its peak popularity in 1919, ranking #1,010 that year with 51 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Ova most popular?
Ova has historically been most popular in West Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Ova.
Is Ova a unisex name?
Yes — Ova is used for both girls and boys in U.S. records, with about 72% of Ovas assigned female and 28% assigned male historically.
What names go well with Ova?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Ova include Ebonie, Honesty, Media. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Ova

Ova is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1881 and has accumulated 1K births in the dataset. Ova's peak popularity came in 1919 when it ranked #1,010. Use the chart and map above to compare Ova's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.