Dov

Dov (Hebrew: דב or דוב) is a Hebrew masculine given name meaning "bear." The name is conceptually analogous to the Yiddish name Ber, which also means "bear," reflecting a common tradition across Jewish communities of using animal names symbolizing strength and protection. In the Tanakh, the bear is a creature of might; for instance, Proverbs 17:12 speaks of "a bear robbed of her cubs" alongside a "fool in his folly," emphasizing the danger of unreasoning rage.

Dov is widely used in Israel and among Jewish diaspora communities, often found in family names as well. The name's semantic root lies in the Hebrew noun dov (דוב), which appears sporadically in scripture, such as in 2 Kings 2:24 where bears devour youths after the prophet Elisha calls down a curse. Medieval Jewish migrations brought the name to Eastern Europe, where it coexisted with Yiddish translations like Ber.

Notable modern bearers include Dov Frohman, an Israeli electrical engineer and Intel executive credited with inventing the EPROM memory chip, and Dov Hikind, an American politician who served in the New York State Assembly. Social media personality Dov Forman and Dutch DJ Dov J. Elkabas (also known as Dov) represent the name's continuing modern use.