Nina
Meaning of Nina
Nina is a concise two-syllable jewel whose etymological facets glint across cultures: in Spanish it evokes niña, “little girl,” in the Slavic world it emerged as the affectionate tail of longer saints’ names such as Antonina and Ekaterina, while cuneiform scholars still puzzle over c. 2500 BCE clay tablets that hail the fish-bearing Mesopotamian goddess Ninā—proof, if any were needed, that brevity can enjoy an enviably long shelf life. Pronounced NEE-nah in the Romance tongues and NEE-nuh by most English speakers, the name slips off the palate like a sip of Tempranillo, finishing with a bright, lingering vowel. Its historical résumé is suitably distinguished: Saint Nino converted fourth-century Iberia; Russian ballet and American jazz have both answered to its pellucid call; even the cry “¡Nina, Pinta, Santa María!” has an accidental nautical rhyme. In contemporary United States data, Nina has maintained a quietly dignified residency between ranks 146 and 344 for well over a century—neither courting fad nor fearing obsolescence, but rather exemplifying the steady flame of a votive candle. For parents seeking a name that is at once ancient, cosmopolitan, and delightfully uncluttered, Nina offers a scholarly nod to the past and a poised wink toward the future.
Pronunciation
Spanish,Italian
- Pronunced as NEE-nah (/ˈniːna/)
English
- Pronunced as NEE-nuh (/ˈniːnə/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
States Popularity Chart
Notable People Named Nina
| Nina Simone was an American singer, pianist, songwriter, and civil rights activist who fused Bach influenced classical piano with jazz, blues, gospel, folk, and pop in a rich contralto. |
| Nina Davuluri is an American public speaker and advocate, a beauty queen, and host of Made in America on Zee TV America from Manhattan. |
| Nina Totenberg is NPR's legal affairs correspondent known for Supreme Court coverage on All Things Considered, Morning Edition, and Weekend Edition, and an Inside Washington panelist from 1992 to 2013. |
| Nina Dobrev is a Canadian actress best known for playing Elena Gilbert and Katherine Pierce on the CW series The Vampire Diaries from 2009 to 2015. |
| Nina Turner is an American Democratic politician and TV personality who served on Cleveland City Council and in the Ohio Senate, ran for Ohio Secretary of State in 2014, and identifies as a democratic socialist. |
| Nina Hagen is a German singer, songwriter and actress whose theatrical vocals and punk and Neue Deutsche Welle breakthroughs made her the Godmother of German Punk. |
| Nina Lindberg Nesbitt is a Scottish singer songwriter best known for the top 40 hits Stay Out and Selfies and for her cover of the Fleetwood Mac song Dont Stop used in a John Lewis ad. |
| Nina Gordon is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist who cofounded Veruca Salt, wrote the hits Seether and Volcano Girls, released two solo albums, and later rejoined the band for Ghost Notes. |
| American actress and drama instructor Nina Foch had a six decade career with over 50 films and 100 television credits, earned an Academy Award nomination and a National Board of Review award, and was known for cool, aloof roles in the late 1940s. |
| Nina Maria Stemme is a Swedish dramatic soprano. |
| Nina Hoss is a German stage and screen actress known for her collaborations with Christian Petzold in Barbara and Phoenix and for roles in The White Masai, Pelican Blood, Tar, and TV series like Homeland and Jack Ryan. |
| Nina Nunes is an American former mixed martial artist who last competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship womens flyweight division. |
| Soviet physicist Nina Vedeneyeva advanced mineral color research and optical crystallography, led major institutes, was the last partner of poet Sophia Parnok, and won the Stalin Prize and Order of Lenin. |
| Nina Morrison is a Geelong AFLW midfielder who was the first pick of the 2018 draft and earned a Rising Star nomination on debut in 2019. |
| Nina Kotova is an American cellist of Eastern European heritage, a versatile composer and recording artist who performs as a soloist with major orchestras and in chamber ensembles. |
