New Post
Search
Help
ArchivesRe: The name Nova is more of a male's name?
in reply to a message by Anneza
I think it's common for boys in Scandinavian countries and Iceland -- but in America, it's considered more of a girl's name (Native American origin). In Hopi, it means "chases butterflies."
Sounds to me like it could be either, though. Still, I've never known a Nova. I did know a guy named Nava -- he must be about 35 now...
Sounds to me like it could be either, though. Still, I've never known a Nova. I did know a guy named Nava -- he must be about 35 now...
1
Replies
No, it's a girls' name. I've never known a Nova, but I did find out that one of Britney Spears' great-grandmothers was named Nova.
1
Nova as common name in Scandinavia and Iceland
According Nordicnames.de (very reliable), Nova is not usual in Scandinavian countries nor Iceland (it is only listed as name used in Sweden) and absolutely not for boys (it only appears as feminine name):
http://www.nordicnames.de/flick_n/Nova.html
_Satu_, member of this board and webmistress of Nordicnames.de, can confirm this information.
On the other hand, the meaning of "chases butterflies" associated to Nova for a Hopi origin is completely erroneous:
"NOVA: Baby name lists claim that this name means "she chases butterflies" in Hopi. This is false. Nova means "food" in Hopi. Perhaps this was a mistranslation of the Hopi word for "chase," ngöyva. (It's pronounced similar to ing-uyr-vah, but it looks a little like "nova," I guess.) There's certainly nothing about butterflies in it."
http://www.native-languages.org/wrongnames.htm
Generally speking, the baby names websites are NOT reliable.
According Nordicnames.de (very reliable), Nova is not usual in Scandinavian countries nor Iceland (it is only listed as name used in Sweden) and absolutely not for boys (it only appears as feminine name):
http://www.nordicnames.de/flick_n/Nova.html
_Satu_, member of this board and webmistress of Nordicnames.de, can confirm this information.
On the other hand, the meaning of "chases butterflies" associated to Nova for a Hopi origin is completely erroneous:
"NOVA: Baby name lists claim that this name means "she chases butterflies" in Hopi. This is false. Nova means "food" in Hopi. Perhaps this was a mistranslation of the Hopi word for "chase," ngöyva. (It's pronounced similar to ing-uyr-vah, but it looks a little like "nova," I guess.) There's certainly nothing about butterflies in it."
http://www.native-languages.org/wrongnames.htm
Generally speking, the baby names websites are NOT reliable.
1