UK boy's name
Jove
From Latin, meaning "supreme god" or "Jupiter".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2023. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Jove is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Jove popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3523, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2023, with 5 births.
This profile covers 8 England and Wales registrations across 2 recorded years from 2022 to 2023. 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.
Jove is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 8 living people in the UK are called Jove. 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 2024 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Jove ranked #3523 for boys in England and Wales in 2023, with 5 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2023, when 5 boys were registered as Jove.
- • About 8 living people in the UK are estimated to have Jove as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3523
2023
Births in 2023
5
Latest year
Peak year
2023
5 births
Estimated living
8
2026
Meaning
What does Jove mean?
Jove is a masculine given name derived from the Latin name Iovius, which is related to the Roman god Jupiter, also known as Jove. The name has its roots in the ancient Indo-European language family and can be traced back to the Proto-Indo-European word "*dyeu-" meaning "god" or "sky".
The name Jove was initially used by the ancient Romans as an epithet or title for Jupiter, the king of the gods in Roman mythology. Jupiter was revered as the god of sky, thunder, and lightning, and his name was often invoked in oaths and prayers. Over time, Jove became a popular given name among the Romans, particularly those from the upper classes who sought to honor the divine ruler.
In ancient Roman literature, the name Jove appears frequently in the works of renowned authors such as Virgil, Ovid, and Cicero. For instance, in Virgil's Aeneid, Jove (Jupiter) plays a central role in the epic journey of Aeneas, the Trojan hero who later became an ancestor of the Roman people.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Jove being used as a personal name dates back to the 1st century AD. Marcus Iunius Iuvenis, also known as Jove, was a Roman senator and philosopher who lived during the reign of the Emperor Nero.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Jove. Here are five examples:
1. Jove the Younger (c. 295 - c. 355 AD), a Roman philosopher and Christian apologist who played a significant role in the early development of Christian theology.
2. Jove of Cordoba (c. 850 - c. 915 AD), a Spanish scholar and writer who was known for his contributions to the development of Arabic literature during the golden age of Islamic Spain.
3. Jove of Navarre (c. 1245 - c. 1305 AD), a nobleman and military leader who fought against the Kingdom of Aragon during the Navarrese Civil War.
4. Jove Brocardo (1472 - 1537), an Italian jurist and legal scholar who authored several influential works on canon law and civil law.
5. Jove Llull (1632 - 1699), a Spanish Baroque painter and artist known for his religious paintings and works depicting scenes from Greek mythology.
While the name Jove has its roots in ancient Roman mythology and history, it has been used throughout various cultures and time periods, often as a way to honor the divine or express a connection to the celestial realm.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Jove over time
The chart below shows babies named Jove registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2022 to 2023. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Jove, the clearest high point is 2023. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2023, compared with 5 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Jove by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Jove 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 | #4156 | 8 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Jove
- Jack 188,738
- Joshua 145,192
- James 141,878
- Joseph 102,259
- Jacob 93,754
- Jake 66,896
- Jamie 41,243
- Jordan 36,750
- Jayden 28,921
- Jude 24,156
- John 22,240
- Joe 19,164
FAQ
Jove: questions and answers
How popular is the name Jove in the UK right now?
In 2023, Jove was ranked #3523 for boys in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.
When was Jove most popular?
The peak year on record was 2023, with 5 babies registered as Jove in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Jove?
From Latin, meaning "supreme god" or "Jupiter".
How many people are called Jove in the UK?
A total of 8 babies have been registered as Jove across the 2 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.