We prove that the commutative nearly absolute valued division algebras have dimension <= 2. This extends a well-known theorem by H. Hopf asserting the same property for each commutative real division algebra of finite dimension. As an application we prove that R, C and (sic) are the unique commutative real nearly absolute valued division algebras with norm satisfying parallel to x(2)parallel to = parallel to x parallel to(2). (C) 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.