Ovide is of French origin, derived from the Latin 'Ovidius', which is thought to mean 'sheep farmer'. It was popularized by the Roman poet Publius Ovidius Naso, commonly known as Ovid, who lived during the 1st century BC. In France, Ovide was traditionally given to boys born around the autumnal equinox, likely due to its connection with the Latin word for 'sheep', reflecting the harvest season when sheep were brought down from the hills.
The name Ovide experienced a rise and fall in popularity over the decades from 1910 to 1943, with a total of 140 babies given this name during that period. The peak years were 1921 and 1923, with 11 births each, while the years with the lowest number of births (5) appeared most frequently, occurring 7 times between 1911 and 1937.