Tova is a
given name
A given name (also known as a forename or first name) is the part of a personal name quoted in that identifies a person, potentially with a middle name as well, and differentiates that person from the other members of a group (typically a f ...
,
nickname
A nickname, in some circumstances also known as a sobriquet, or informally a "moniker", is an informal substitute for the proper name of a person, place, or thing, used to express affection, playfulness, contempt, or a particular character trait ...
and a
surname
In many societies, a surname, family name, or last name is the mostly hereditary portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family. It is typically combined with a given name to form the full name of a person, although several give ...
. The name ''Tova'' has multiple origins. Deriving from
Old Norse
Old Norse, also referred to as Old Nordic or Old Scandinavian, was a stage of development of North Germanic languages, North Germanic dialects before their final divergence into separate Nordic languages. Old Norse was spoken by inhabitants ...
, it is thought to be a
hypocoristic
A hypocorism ( or ; from Ancient Greek ; sometimes also ''hypocoristic''), or pet name, is a name used to show affection for a person. It may be a diminutive form of a person's name, such as '' Izzy'' for Isabel or '' Bob'' for Robert, or it ...
form of the name ''Þórfríðr''.
[Teresa Norman,]
Tova
" ''A World of Baby Names''. New York: Penguin, 2003. 504. Deriving from
Hebrew
Hebrew (; ''ʿÎbrit'') is a Northwest Semitic languages, Northwest Semitic language within the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family. A regional dialect of the Canaanite languages, it was natively spoken by the Israelites and ...
, it is an adjective meaning "good".
Notable people with this name are listed below.
Given name
*
Saint Tova of Thorney (died ), Anglo-Saxon martyr
*
Tova of the Obotrites (, Slavic princess and queen consort of Denmark
*
Tova Beck-Friedman (born 1938), American artist, sculptor, writer, filmmaker, and child survivor of the Holocaust
*
Tova Ben-Dov, Israeli Zionist
*
Tova Ben Zvi (1928–2020), Israeli singer
*
Tova Borgnine
Tova Traesnaes Borgnine (born Tove Træsnæs; November 17, 1941 – February 26, 2022) was a Norwegian-born American businesswoman. She was the founder of Beauty by Tova cosmetics and the widow of Hollywood actor Ernest Borgnine.
Early life
Tova ...
(1941–2022), Norwegian-born American businesswoman
*
Tova Hamilton, Jamaican politician
*
Tova Hartman (born 1957), Israeli scholar and social entrepreneur
*
Tova Ilan (1929–2019), Israeli educator and politician
*
Tova Magnusson (born 1968), Swedish actress and filmmaker
*
Tova Milo, Israeli computer scientist
*
Tova Mirvis (born 1972), American novelist
*
Tova O'Brien (born 1982/1983), New Zealand journalist, host of radio show ''Tova''
*
Tova Sanhadray (1906–1993), Israeli politician
*
Tova Traesnaes (1941–2022), Norwegian-American businesswoman
Surname
*
Theresa Tova (born 1955), Canadian actress, singer and playwright
Nickname
*
Tosia Altman (1919–1943), Polish courier and smuggler, known as ''Tova''
*
Antun Stipančić (1949–1991), Croatian table tennis player
Fictional characters
*Tiny Tova, character in ''
The Magic Door''
*Tova Arrocas, character in
''Internal Affairs'' (film)
*Tova, character in ''
Critical Role
''Critical Role'' is an American web series in which a group of professional voice actors play ''Dungeons & Dragons''. The show started streaming partway through the cast's first campaign in March 2015. Campaign one ended in October 2017 aft ...
''
See also
*
Toda (surname)
*
Tola (name)
*
Toma (name) In European and Assyrian usage, the name Toma is a version of Thomas. It originates from Aramaic ''t’om’a'', meaning ''twin''.
In the Russian language, it is a diminutive of the female given name Tamara.
In Japan, it is a male name of a diff ...
*
Tona (name)
*
Tora (given name)
Tora or Thora are female given names. In North Germanic languages, both Tora and Thora are derived from the Old Norse Þóra., a name related to the Norse god Thor. In English, Tora may also be a short form of Victoria (name), Victoria.
Notable pe ...
*
Tora (surname)
*
Tovar (surname)
References
{{Given name, type=both