Novah is a modern spelling of Nova, the Latin word for "new", which astronomers use for a star that suddenly flares up in brightness. The added h follows the pattern of Hannah and Savannah and gives the name a softer finish. In the United States Novah rose from number 1869 in 2015 into the top 1000 in 2018, peaked at number 569 in 2020 and ranks number 1006 in 2025.