Fun Facts About the Name Cova
- 143 babies named Cova: U.S. records list 143 babies given the name Cova from 1880 through 2025. Even 5 boys received the name Cova - about 1 boy for every 28 girls.
What Does the Name Cova Mean?
Cova is best explained as a short form of the Spanish female name Covadonga. Covadonga is generally derived from Latin cova, "cave" or "hollow," plus dominica, "of the Lady" - the Lady's cave - a reference to the shrine of Our Lady of Covadonga in Asturias, northern Spain. The exact Latin formation is not documented in detail, but the two elements are the usual explanation. Taken by itself, cova is an ordinary word for "cave" or "hollow" in Spanish, Galician, Portuguese, Catalan, and Italian, where it survives mainly as a literary or regional word. So the literal sense behind the name is "cave," while the religious sense attached to Covadonga comes from the Marian shrine. Cova is also a surname in Spain and Italy and appears in Iberian place names, such as Cova da Iria in Portugal. It should not be confused with unrelated names that merely look similar, such as Cove or Covi.
Cova Name History & Origins
Covadonga is the name of a sanctuary in the mountains of Asturias, in northern Spain, in the present-day municipality of Cangas de Onís. According to tradition, a Christian force won a battle there against a Muslim army around 722, and the site later became a symbol of the beginning of the Reconquista and an important pilgrimage center. Devotion to Our Lady of Covadonga produced the female given name Covadonga, which is used in Spain, particularly in Asturias. Cova is the familiar short form of that name, used by Spanish speakers in Spain and elsewhere.
Independently of the given name, Cova is found as a Spanish and Italian surname, and cova forms part of many place names in Spain, Portugal, and Galicia, reflecting the word's meaning of a cave or hollow. One well-known example is Cova da Iria, the locality near Fátima, Portugal, associated with the 1917 events there. Whether Cova has a separate history as an independent given name in other languages is not well documented, and its use as a personal name is most securely traced to its role as a short form of Covadonga.
How Popular is the Name Cova?
Cova has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2024. Its best rank was #2,599 in 1913.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #7,980 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 2024 | #7,652 | 14 | 0.0009% |
| 2019 | #11,602 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1952 | #5,027 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1940 | #4,485 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1929 | #3,193 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1925 | #2,980 | 11 | 0.0009% |
| 1923 | #3,425 | 9 | 0.0007% |
| 1921 | #3,742 | 8 | 0.0006% |
| 1920 | #5,139 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1918 | #2,709 | 12 | 0.0010% |
| 1917 | #4,203 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1916 | #3,081 | 9 | 0.0009% |
| 1915 | #3,191 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1914 | #2,692 | 8 | 0.0011% |
| 1913 | #2,599 | 7 | 0.0011% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1918 | #4,308 | 5 | 0.0005% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Cova Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are cheerful and friendly, but are apt to have an emotional life. You like to have several lines of effort going at once. You are a good talker and promoter and seldom worry over anything. At times, you can be impatient, and impulsive. You have the ability to bring an idea to completion. You can express yourself joyously and constructively. You might be psychic, but not know it. You are frank, methodical and believe in law, system and order.
You are seeking freedom, opportunities to enjoy life: to make love, to go places and to do things. You are very adventurous and willing to take risk to achieve your objectives. New ways and new experiences can't satisfy your restless nature. One adventure leads you to another. You are honest and fair, because you know that this is the only way to receive justice and honesty from other people. But your personal growth is vital for you, and it is difficult to be tied down by rules and obligations. Your restless spirit might best controlled by choosing the field of work that meet your demand for action and adventure.
✦ Cova's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Cova's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.