חובב
Hovav means “beloved, cherished”
Hovav is a boy's name of Biblical origin.
Hovav was Moses' Midianite in-law, whom Moses asked to guide Israel through the desert.
- In Hebrew
- חובב
- In English letters
- Hovav
- Other English spellings
- Hobab, Chovav
- Meaning
- Beloved, cherished
- Origin
- Biblical
- Given to
- Boys
- Themes
- From the Bible
- Gematria value
- 18
242 Jewish Israelis born since 1949 carry the name Hovav.
- 242 of them are men and boys, and fewer than 5 are women and girls.
- 10 of them were born in 1988, more than in any other year.
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 Hovav is counted in each population group.
These are the people born 1949 to 2024 who carry the spelling חובב 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 | 242 | 0 | – |
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 Hovav in theme or origin.
These are the questions people ask about the name Hovav.
What does the name Hovav mean?
Hovav means “beloved, cherished”. Hovav is a boy's name of Biblical origin. Hovav was Moses' Midianite in-law, whom Moses asked to guide Israel through the desert.
Is Hovav a boy's name or a girl's name?
Hovav is mainly a boy's name. Of the 242 Jewish Israelis born since 1949 who carry it, 242 are men and boys and fewer than 5 are women and girls.
How do you write Hovav in Hebrew?
Hovav is written חובב in Hebrew.
How many people in Israel are named Hovav?
242 Jewish Israelis born 1949 to 2024 carry Hovav today. The most were born in 1988.
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.