I’m Swedish and we pronounce the name [name_f]Tove[/name_f] tu-Veh. Here in Australia everyone pronounces it toe-v. I love the former and hate the latter way of pronouncing the name. Then I came across the male name [name_m]Tuvia[/name_m]. It’s easy to pronounce, and sounds more like the Swedish [name_f]Tove[/name_f]. It does sound like a girl’s name, but is officially a boy’s name. What do you guys think of it? I would love to use it for a girl. Would that be too weird? Suggestions for middle names welcome.
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I do not live in Australia so I’m not sure how commonplace [name_m]Tuvia[/name_m] is… however, if it is extremely rare, you can play off the fact that it wouldn’t be established as a masculine name.
I feel that the -ia ending does make it seem as if it should be a feminine name sound-wise, so that can definitely be a plus.
All in all, I totally think it is usable! You can also pair it with an established feminine middle - which might help emphasize a feminine side. Something like [name_m]Tuvia[/name_m] [name_f]Rose[/name_f], for example. I think it’s lovely.
Good luck!
I like Tuvia at first glance. It has a very pleasing sound but I still feel that replacing Tove for Tuvia is an imperfect solution. I’d rather use Tove despite the difficulties with pronunciation than compromise on the link to family heritage. If I had a list of three or four other names that I loved equally without origin and pronunciation concerns, I would go with another name.
Tuvia would certainly attract questions from the curious minded in Australia, and I’m not sure I’d personally enjoy telling people that it was the best compromise we could find. If it was a version of a family name, I’d feel more comfortable using it on the opposite gender. But that’s me. There’s no harm leaving it on your list and seeing how you feel in the future.
Thank you, that is a very good point. I love the name [name_m]Tuvia[/name_m] in its own right actually. But the story behind the name is rather rubbish if it’s just derived from [name_f]Tove[/name_f]. I read that it’s the Hebrew variant of [name_m]Tobias[/name_m], which happens to be my brother’s middle name. So I guess there is some family connection. But mostly, maybe a name can be only a name without a fantastical meaning behind it. As long as it isn’t teasable or offensive.
I have trouble seeing it as a girls name since my SO (who is half Jewish) has two close family members (male) named [name_m]Tuvia[/name_m]. So to me it’s just as male as [name_m]Tobias[/name_m].
I agree a name can be just a name without a great meaning behind it, but I wouldn’t just pick a name from a completely different culture that you have no connection with and use it for the opposite gender, just because you think it sounds nice.
How about Thova or [name_f]Tova[/name_f]?
There’s also Toa which is a variant of [name_f]Tova[/name_f], and Thuva or [name_f]Tuva[/name_f] are good options too.
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Yeah, I guess this is where I needed input. Because it’s a Hebrew name, I don’t want to just steal it because it sounds nice. I wasn’t even sure if it is ever used for a girl. Speaking of culture and not knowing the true meaning of it, the name Toa would be catastrophic for a Swedish family as it means toilet. Lol.
I like your suggestion of [name_f]Tova[/name_f]. But with an Aussie accent… too rough.
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I should have known that, my maternal grandmother is Swedish. But I don’t speak the language, so 
I already have 6 languages to remember 
Good luck with finding the right name!
How about [name_f]Tuva[/name_f]? [name_f]My[/name_f] sister-in-law (living in the UK) has an adorable little neighbour with this name, I think her father is Norwegian. In [name_f]English[/name_f], I think the pronunciation would intuitively be pretty similar to how [name_f]Tove[/name_f] sounds in Swedish. I think it’s really pretty!
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Seconding the suggestion of [name_f]Tuva[/name_f] 
It doesn’t quite feel right to change the gender of a Hebrew name
I think its ok but it does remind me of the sweetener Truvia.
Personally I wouldnt be concerned about using a traditionally Hebrew name in a different way. As long as its not a sacred word its not a big deal.
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I also have reservations about using [name_m]Tuvia[/name_m] for a girl and really like the suggestion for using [name_f]Tuva[/name_f] as an alternative to [name_f]Tove[/name_f] to get the pronunciation you want.
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I think Tuvia is a really sweet girl’s name! At first, I read it as Truvia which could be an issue but It looks the way it’s pronounced so that’s an added benefit.
I really love Tova as a girl’s name but I think the pronunciation would be hard, so Tuva is probably the best option if you’re bent on keeping it similar to Tove.
I’m Jewish and I would feel weird seeing/hearing about a girl named [name_m]Tuvia[/name_m]. I mean it’s not really that significant but it just doesn’t feel right, especially since it’s the traditional Hebrew form ([name_m]Tobiah[/name_m] would also feel weird on a girl but less… icky? awkward? to me personally). This also might be because I just added Tuviyah to my boys list . I think people that care about you and your family would easily adjust to your preferred pronunciation, and anyone who doesn’t after being corrected a few times clearly doesn’t respect you and your daughter as a person. Otherwise, I like the suggestion of [name_f]Tova[/name_f]!
I have deep respect for the jewish faith and would never want to culturally appropriate. As much as I love the name [name_m]Tuvia[/name_m] I think [name_f]Tuva[/name_f] would be the better option. It’s a Swedish name, I think even ancient nordic. I also think it has a softer ring to it than [name_f]Tove[/name_f] and much easier for the Aussies to pronounce.