Given name & surname · also Spanish
Nina
“a little girl”·“a fiery woman”
Nina is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “a little girl” and “a fiery woman”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “a little girl” and “a fiery woman”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Where it comes from
This spelling has been associated with Spanish and Native American naming traditions. The precise derivation is uncertain.
How it developed
In Russian use, Nina is used as a shortened form of Antonina.
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
Nina through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 134,038
- 250 boys · 133,788 girls
- Most popular year
- 1980
- 1,896 babies
- 2025
- 946
- #324 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −4%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 946 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 324 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 3.8% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 1,889 in 1980. In 2025, New York had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (102). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 96,875 as a first name in 2020; 1,037 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.
Nina’s family of names
In English usage, Nina is a short form of Anna. In Portuguese usage, Nina developed from the Georgian form ნინო. Nina has an alternative spelling in Nena.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Nina has relatives in 14 languages. Lines run from its Spanish roots to each of them.
13 related names in 14 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 28
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Annafull form · English
- Antoninafull form
- Neenavariant
- Ninettediminutive
- Ninnalikely variant
- Ninotchkavariant
- Ninoskavariant
- Ninonvariant
Show 20 moreShow fewer
- Ninnettevariant
- Ninettavariant
- Neinavariant
- Nenehvariant
- Nenavariant
- Neenahvariant
- Nynavariant
- Ninahvariant
- Нінаvariant · Belarusian, Ukrainian
- Ninosckadiminutive · English
- Ninochkavariant
- Ninetevariant
- Ninetavariant
- Ninacskavariant
- Nennavariant
- Ninočkadiminutive · Slovak
- Ninkadiminutive · Slovak
- Niinavariant · Finnish
- Ninuškadiminutive · Czech
- English-speakingfull form
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 10
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Minaequivalent
- Niaequivalent
- Aninaequivalent
- Ninfaequivalent
- Nineequivalent
- Anniinaequivalent
- నీనాTelugu
- ŅinaLatvian
Show 2 moreShow fewer
See also 3
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Nina
- Nina BadrićCroatian singerborn 1972
- Nina HagenGerman singer, songwriter, and actressborn 1955
- Nina HossGerman actressborn 1975
- Nina SublattiGeorgian singerborn 1995
- Nina BerberovaRussian novelist and short story writer (1901–1993)
- Nina PerssonSwedish singer (born 1974)
- Nina KennedyAustralian athleteborn 1997
- Nina KraljićCroatian singerborn 1992
- Nina BariRussian mathematician (1901–1961)
Characters named Nina: Nina Williams (Tekken), Nina Myers (the television series 24).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Nina, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Caroline
“a joyous song; a small, strong woman”
>99% girls
Valerie
“strong and valiant”
>99% girls
Veronica
“displaying her true image”
>99% girls
Jennifer
“one who is fair; a beautiful girl”
>99% girls
Amy
“dearly loved”
>99% girls
Lauren
“crowned with laurel; from the laurel tree” · “man from Laurentum; crowned with laurel”
>99% girls
Michelle
“who is like God?” · “from the bank's meadow”
>99% girls
Carmen
“a beautiful song”
5% boys · 95% girls