דב
Dov means “bear”
Dov is a boy's name of Hebrew origin.
Long paired with the Yiddish name Ber.
- In Hebrew
- דב
- In English letters
- Dov
- Meaning
- Bear
- Origin
- Hebrew
- Given to
- Boys
- Themes
- Animals and birds
- Gematria value
- 6
6,260 Jewish Israelis born since 1949 carry the name Dov.
- 6,260 of them are men and boys, and fewer than 5 are women and girls.
- 223 of them were born in 1949, more than in any other year.
- Carriers born 2020 to 2024: 527, against 347 born 2010 to 2014, so its share of births is growing.
Central Bureau of Statistics register, April 2025. People who changed their name are counted under the one they carry now, and a year with fewer than five shows as zero.
This is how Dov is counted in each population group.
These are the people born 1949 to 2024 who carry the spelling דב today, in each population group and sex the register lists for it. The rank counts the names given in 2024, and 1 is the most given. A count under 5 is not published, so the table says “fewer than 5”, and 0 means nobody.
| Population group | Carriers | Born in 2024 | Rank in 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jewish boys | 6,260 | 87 | 155 of 541 |
In 2024, Dov ranked 155 of 541 among the names given to Jewish boys.
Source: the Central Bureau of Statistics table of current first names of people born 1949 to 2024, by sex and population group (release 391/2025 of 8 December 2025, read on 2 November 2026). Groups and sexes with no row for this spelling are left out.
These six names are close to Dov in theme or origin.
These are the questions people ask about the name Dov.
What does the name Dov mean?
Dov means “bear”. Dov is a boy's name of Hebrew origin. Long paired with the Yiddish name Ber.
Is Dov a boy's name or a girl's name?
Dov is mainly a boy's name. Of the 6,260 Jewish Israelis born since 1949 who carry it, 6,260 are men and boys and fewer than 5 are women and girls.
How do you write Dov in Hebrew?
Dov is written דב in Hebrew.
How many people in Israel are named Dov?
6,260 Jewish Israelis born 1949 to 2024 carry Dov today. The most were born in 1949. In 2024, Dov ranked 155 of 541 among the names given to Jewish boys.
Counts are Jewish Israelis born 1949 to 2024 who carry the name today, from the Central Bureau of Statistics register of April 2025. Meanings follow the standard etymologies of Hebrew name references, and where nobody can be sure the page says so.