NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Dov

A masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning "bear".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Dov is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Dov popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1951, with 12 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2023, with 19 births.

This profile covers 236 England and Wales registrations across 27 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

The latest count is about 63% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 234 living people in the UK are called Dov. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Dov ranked #1951 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 12 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2023, when 19 boys were registered as Dov.
  • About 234 living people in the UK are estimated to have Dov as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#1951

2024

Births in 2024

12

Latest year

Peak year

2023

19 births

Estimated living

234

2026

Meaning

What does Dov mean?

The name Dov has its origins in the Hebrew language and culture. It is derived from the Hebrew word "dov," which means "bear." This name has been in use since ancient times in the Middle East and among Jewish communities around the world.

In the Bible, the name Dov is not explicitly mentioned, but the Hebrew word for bear appears in various contexts. For example, in the Book of Proverbs, it is written, "Meet a bear robbed of her cubs" (Proverbs 17:12), using the word "dov" for bear.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Dov was Dov Baer of Mezeritch, a prominent 18th-century Hasidic rabbi and a disciple of the Baal Shem Tov, the founder of the Hasidic movement. He lived from 1704 to 1772 and played a crucial role in spreading the teachings of Hasidism.

Another notable figure was Dov Ber Manischewitz, the founder of the Manischewitz food company, which is famous for producing kosher foods, particularly matzo and wine. He was born in 1856 in Prussia and immigrated to the United States in the late 19th century, establishing his business in Cincinnati, Ohio.

In the world of literature, Dov Noy was an Israeli author and scholar known for his work on Jewish folklore and folktales. He was born in 1920 in Jerusalem and published several books on the subject, including "Folktales of the Jews" and "The Jewish Beast Fable Tradition."

Dov Gruner was an Israeli painter and sculptor who lived from 1936 to 2021. He was known for his colorful abstract works and was a prominent figure in the Israeli art scene. His sculptures and paintings can be found in various museums and public spaces in Israel.

Finally, Dov Frohman was an Israeli electrical engineer and entrepreneur who played a significant role in the development of the modern computer memory chip. He was born in 1939 and co-founded several successful technology companies, including Intel, where he worked on the development of the first commercially viable random access memory (RAM) chip.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who have borne the name Dov, which has its roots in the ancient Hebrew language and culture, with a meaning connected to the powerful symbol of the bear.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Dov over time

The chart below shows babies named Dov registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Dov, the clearest high point is 2023. The latest England and Wales figure is 12 births in 2024, compared with 19 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Dov
05101419199620102024

Decades

Dov by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Dov was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2020s #1704 72 5
2010s #2423 93 10
2000s #2456 57 9
1990s #2310 14 3

Related

Names similar to Dov

FAQ

Dov: questions and answers

How popular is the name Dov in the UK right now?

In 2024, Dov was ranked #1951 for boys in England and Wales, with 12 births registered.

When was Dov most popular?

The peak year on record was 2023, with 19 babies registered as Dov in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Dov?

A masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning "bear".

How many people are called Dov in the UK?

A total of 236 babies have been registered as Dov across the 27 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.