Novalee, Novalie

• Origin: English
• Meaning: none
• Usage: English, Swedish
• Gender: Female
• First Est. 1960s
• Variations: Novaleigh, Nova Lee, Novali, Nowalie

The name is likely a combination of Nova, from Latin novus (“new”), with the popular feminine name suffix -lee.

Novalee first came into measurable use in the United States in 1962, following the release of Rex Allen’s country hit “(Son) Don’t Go Near the Indians.” The song recounts the story of a young man, raised by white adoptive parents, who falls in love with a Native American woman named Nova Lee, only to discover that she is his biological sister. Following the song’s release, the combined form Novalee experienced scant usage in the United States, particularly during the 1960s.

The name received renewed exposure through Novalee Nation, the protagonist of Billie Letts’s bestselling 1995 novel Where the Heart Is. The novel was adapted into a 2000 film starring Natalie Portman as Novalee. Despite these earlier appearances, Novalee did not enter the U.S. top 1000 most popular female names until 2016. As of 2025, it ranked #975 in the United States.

In England & Wales, the name has been used 16 times since 2016.

A related form, Novalie, became fashionable in Sweden during the late 2000s and early 2010s. In Swedish usage, the name is generally interpreted as a combination of Nova + Li, the latter being an established feminine name in Sweden. Its rise coincided with the rapidly increasing popularity of Nova, which entered the Swedish Top 100 in the early 2000s and reached the Top 20 by the beginning of the following decade. The earlier American Novalee, particularly its prominent use in Where the Heart Is, may also have influenced the Swedish form, though a direct connection cannot be established. Other Swedish spellings include: Novali and Nowalie.

Sister Names: Ada(h), Alva, Arlene, Belva, Beryl, Bonnie, Carly, Charlene, Coral, Daisy, Darlene, Dreama, Earlene, Ebba, Emeline, Farrah, Fay(e), Feraby, Gayla, Glendora, Glittra, Hazel, Hedda, Honora, Icy, Imogene, India, Joelle, Jolene/Joline/Jolina, Junie, Kendra, Lovisa, Lulu, Lurlene, Malva, Melba, Nellie, Nola, Olive/Olivine, Opal, Orleanna, Paralee, Pinkie, Scotia, Skyla, Svea, Veda, Vega, Vista, Tallulah, Tindra, Twyla, Wanda, Wilda, Wilma, Vaila, Viola, Vilma, Ylva, Zelda, Zetta, Zona

Brother Names: Algot, Alvin, Arvid, Beau/Bo, Boone, Charlie, Earl, Ellis, Elmer, Hoyt, Hugo, Jethro, Judson, Lemuel, Levi, Melvin, Milton, Milo, Noble, Norville, Norris, Oliver, Otis, Otto, Parley, Preston, Rance, Roscoe, Royal, Talmadge, Theo, Truett, Vernon, Viggo, Virgil, Waylon, Woodrow, Wyatt, Zeb, Zebulon, Zeke

Sources

• https://www.behindthename.com/name/novalee
• https://www.nordicnames.de/wiki/Novalie
• https://names.darkgreener.com/#novalee
• https://www.nancy.cc/baby-name/novalee/