Alternatives to Nova
- Noa
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"motion"Description:
This Old Testament female name has been one of the most popular girls’ names in Israel over the last decade. Also highly popular in Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands, and a new entrant to the US Top 1000, it may be misunderstood here as an attempt to streamline and feminize the more familiar Noah – although it's a separate name with a separate derivation.
- Noah
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"motion"Description:
Okay, this is going to be confusing...
- Noelia
Origin:
Spanish, feminine variation of NoelDescription:
This name of an admired Puerto Rican pop singer has been picked up by hundreds of Hispanic parents.
- Noella
- Noelle
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"Christmas"Description:
Noelle is the feminine variation of Noël, a masculine given name derived from the French word for "Christmas." As a word, Noël originated as a variant of nael, which evolved from the Latin natalis, meaning "birth." Noelle and Noel have traditionally been given to children born around Christmastime, particularly in the Middle ages.
- Nola
Origin:
GaelicMeaning:
"white shoulder"Description:
Nola, a name with a sleek, enigmatic quality, was used for the much-pursued heroine of Spike Lee's 1986 breakout film, She's Gotta Have It, and again by Woody Allen in Match Point. It's a short form of the traditional Irish name Fionnuala. Nola reentered the US Top 1000 in 2008, for the first time in 50 years.
- Nona
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"ninth"Description:
Nona is a name sometimes given to the ninth child -- but unlikely to serve that purpose today. Musical cred: the name of a song by Motley Crue.
- Nora
Origin:
Diminutive of Honora or Eleonora, LatinMeaning:
"honor or meaning unknown"Description:
Nora is a lovely, refined name that conjures up images of Belle Epoch ladies in fur-trimmed coats skating in Central Park. Long seen as a quintessentially Irish name though its roots are not in Ireland, Nora is a quietly stylish favorite that's tiptoed to the top of the popularity ladder.
- Noreen
Origin:
English, diminutive of NoraDescription:
Noreen's in limbo, especially now that Nora has made a comeback.
- Norma
Origin:
English or LatinMeaning:
"from the north; or, the pattern"Description:
Invented for Bellini's opera, Norma had some star quality in the silent-screen and Marilyn Monroe days, but at this point it's a graying grandma in baby name limbo.
- Nouvel
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"new"Description:
Shot to fame as the middle name of Brangelina's daughter Shiloh Nouvel, after French architect Jean Nouvel.
- Novah
Origin:
Variant of NovaDescription:
The fastest-rising of the many Nova-adjacent names now fashionable for girls -- Nova, Novalee, Novaleigh -- which could all be seen as either classier alternatives to Neveah or feminine takes on ultra-popular Noah. This H-ending version has a slightly Hebrew air -- compare to Tovah. It's gotten a boost from rising R&B songstress Jade Novah.
- Novalee
Description:
Can be shortened to Nova. Appeared on the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2016.
- Novalina
Origin:
English, invented nameDescription:
An elaboration of popular Nova, that first appeared in the US baby name charts in 2020.
- Novalyne
Origin:
Modern invented nameDescription:
Novalyne Price Ellis was a 20th century writer best known for One Who Walked Alone, a memoir about her relationship with pulp fiction writer Robert E. Howard, the inventor of Conan the Barbarian, which was adapted into a movie starring Renee Zellwegger.
- Novel
Origin:
English from LatinMeaning:
"new"Description:
A literary twist on rising star Nova, derived from the same Latin word.
- Novella
- November
Origin:
English word nameMeaning:
"month name"Description:
The menu of usable month names seems to expand every, well, month, with such choices as November, October, and January joining more established names like April, May, June and August. Logical November nicknames include Nova, Novi, or Ember, making this a natural (if adventurous) choice for a baby girl. November is also, obviously, one of the perfect names for November babies.
- Novie
Origin:
Variation of Nova, LatinMeaning:
"new"Description:
Sweet and sassy Novie is an, ahem, novel shortening of the Latin name Nova, both of which appropriately mean "new". Novi is typically the go-to spelling of this diminutive — thanks to the recent trend of girl names that end in I — but that may change now that influencer couple Zoe Sugg and Alfie Deyes used Novie for their baby girl.
- Nuala
Origin:
Irish, short form of FionnualaMeaning:
"white shoulders"Description:
Officially a shortening of the traditional and tricky Gaelic Fionnghuala/Fionnuala, Nuala makes a lovely choice all on its own. Nuala is well-used in Ireland.