UK girl's name
Lova
A feminine name of uncertain meaning, possibly derived from Slavic origins.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2022. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Lova is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Lova popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2022 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5669, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2019, with 3 births.
This profile covers 6 England and Wales registrations across 2 recorded years from 2019 to 2022. 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 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 6 living people in the UK are called Lova. 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 2023 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Lova ranked #5669 for girls in England and Wales in 2022, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2019, when 3 girls were registered as Lova.
- • About 6 living people in the UK are estimated to have Lova as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5669
2022
Births in 2022
3
Latest year
Peak year
2019
3 births
Estimated living
6
2026
Meaning
What does Lova mean?
The name Lova has its origins in the Sanskrit language, where it is derived from the word "lava," meaning "small" or "little." This name was commonly used in ancient India, particularly among Hindu communities, as a term of endearment for children.
In Hindu mythology, Lova is also the name of a sage who is mentioned in the Puranas, a collection of ancient Indian texts. According to these texts, Sage Lova was a renowned scholar and spiritual leader who lived during the Vedic period, which spans from around 1500 BC to 500 BC.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Lova can be found in the Mahabharata, one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India, which dates back to around the 8th century BC. In this epic, Lova is mentioned as the name of a warrior who fought alongside the Pandava princes during the great battle of Kurukshetra.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Lova. One such person was Lova Pramadavanam, a renowned Tamil poet and scholar who lived in the 9th century AD. He was known for his contributions to the Tamil literary tradition and his works on grammar and poetics.
Another significant figure with the name Lova was Lova Ranasinghe, a Sri Lankan Buddhist monk and scholar who lived in the 16th century. He was renowned for his translations of Buddhist texts from Pali into Sinhala and his efforts to promote the study of Buddhism in Sri Lanka.
In the realm of music, Lova Moor was a notable figure. Born in 1918 in Germany, she was a celebrated operatic soprano who performed in various opera houses across Europe during the mid-20th century.
Lova Alahverdiyeva, born in 1950 in Azerbaijan, was a prominent figure in the world of athletics. She was a Soviet Olympic gymnast who won multiple medals, including gold, at the 1972 and 1976 Olympic Games.
Finally, Lova Munktell, born in 1990 in Sweden, is a contemporary Swedish singer and songwriter known for her unique blend of pop and folk music. Her debut album, "Selma lilla," released in 2016, received critical acclaim and established her as a rising star in the Swedish music scene.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Lova over time
The chart below shows babies named Lova registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2019 to 2022. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Lova, the clearest high point is 2019. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2022, compared with 3 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Lova by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Lova 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 | #5669 | 3 | 1 |
| 2010s | #5591 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Lova
- Lily 72,956
- Lucy 70,663
- Lauren 50,664
- Leah 33,185
- Lola 24,525
- Layla 24,520
- Laura 23,471
- Lilly 21,714
- Lydia 18,353
- Libby 14,515
- Lara 13,415
- Lacey 13,406
FAQ
Lova: questions and answers
How popular is the name Lova in the UK right now?
In 2022, Lova was ranked #5669 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Lova most popular?
The peak year on record was 2019, with 3 babies registered as Lova in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Lova?
A feminine name of uncertain meaning, possibly derived from Slavic origins.
How many people are called Lova in the UK?
A total of 6 babies have been registered as Lova 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.