indicate the level to which a name has been verified.Type Surname (from occupation & from nickname)
Usage English
Meaning & History
From a nickname for a gentle person or an occupational name for a keeper of doves, derived from Old English *dufe or Old Norse dúfa, both meaning "dove, pigeon". In some cases, it is derived from the Middle English given name Dove, of the same origin. A famous bearer of the name is American essayist Rita Dove (1952-).