Ove
Ove is a Scandinavian given name. It is derived from the Old Danish name Aghi, itself probably a diminutive of the prefix Agh-, from the Germanic *aʒ-. The name Ove is earliest attested in 1434 in Scania.
- Swedish
- Norwegian
- Danish
Meaning & Origin of Ove
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Ove is a Scandinavian given name. It is derived from the Old Danish name Aghi, itself probably a diminutive of the prefix Agh-, from the Germanic *aʒ-. The name Ove is earliest attested in 1434 in Scania.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Swedish
- Norwegian
- Danish
The Story of Ove
American parents first put Ove on the record books as a baby boy name in 1915, with 6 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1931, when 7 Oves were born — ranking #3,095 that year. The 1920s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 40% of all recorded Oves. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 1934 (5 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 40 Oves have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Ove
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Ove. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Owe
Names that sound like Ove
Phonetically similar names — useful when Ove 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 Ove
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About the name Ove
Ove is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1915 and has accumulated 40 births in the dataset. Ove's peak popularity came in 1931 when it ranked #3,095. Use the chart and map above to compare Ove's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1931 →
- Names of the 1930s →
- Names starting with "O" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.