ový

ová is a linguistic suffix used primarily in Czech and Slovak to form the feminine version of a surname, and less commonly, of certain adjectives referring to a female bearer. In these languages, many masculine family names receive -ová to create the feminine form. Examples include Novák → Nováková, Svoboda → Svobodová, and Dvořák → Dvořáková. The resulting feminine surname is used in everyday speech, writing, and in official documents, and it is declined according to the grammar of Czech or Slovak.

The suffix functions as a standard marker of gender in surnames rather than as an independent word. While -ová is common for many surnames, some names have irregular feminine forms or are presented without the ending in certain contexts, such as foreign language environments or personal preference. In everyday practice, a woman’s surname in Czech and Slovak is typically the -ová form, whereas the masculine form remains the base surname.

In Slovak, the same -ová pattern is widely used and follows similar orthographic and grammatical rules as in Czech. The use of -ová is a well-established feature of Slavic onomastics and is often noted as a characteristic indicator of feminine surnames in these languages.

Overall, -ová exemplifies how gender is encoded in name forms within Czech and Slovak, reflecting a broader tradition of gendered naming conventions in the region.