Given name & surname
Nena
“a little girl”·“a fiery woman”·“a joyous song; a small, strong woman”
Nena is a variant of Nina. Interpretations include “a little girl” and “a fiery woman”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts. In French use, Nena is a diminutive of Caroline. In Latin use, Caroline carries the interpretation “a joyous song; a small, strong woman.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Nena is a variant of Nina. Interpretations include “a little girl” and “a fiery woman”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts. In French use, Nena is a diminutive of Caroline. In Latin use, Caroline carries the interpretation “a joyous song; a small, strong woman.”
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In English use, Nena is used as a spelling variant of Nina.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Nena through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 4,896
- 0 boys · 4,896 girls
- Most popular year
- 1963
- 112 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −34%
- Easing
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for girls is 11 in 2024. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Its largest published annual count for girls was 112 in 1963. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 4,608 as a first name in 2020; 363 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Nena’s family of names
In French usage, Nena is a diminutive of Caroline. Nena has an alternative spelling in Nina. Nena has a related form in Nina.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 3
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 3
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Nena
- Nena von SchlebrüggeSwedish-German fashion modelborn 1941
- Nena SaguilFilipino abstract painter1914–1994
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Nena, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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