How to say it
NI · na
/ˈniː.nə/
Feminine
Nina
Little girl, or grace
What it means
A name with several roots: the Spanish niña ('little girl'), a Russian short form of names like Antonina, and an ancient Mesopotamian goddess.
Nina arrives from more than one direction. In Spanish it echoes niña, 'little girl'; in Russian it is the affectionate short for names ending in -nina, like Antonina; and it was the name of a Babylonian goddess of the sea. One of Columbus's ships was La Niña. Short, elegant, and at home in dozens of languages, it carries the cool of singer Nina Simone. Said NEE-na.
Popularity over time
peaked at #115 in 1887, currently #324 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Pronunciation
NEE-na in most languages.
- Spelling
Works alone or as a short for Antonina, Giannina, or similar.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Nina Simone American singer, pianist, and civil-rights voice
Spelling variants
- Ninette
- Nena
- Nyna
Names with the same feeling
See Nina from another angle
By style