Given name & surname
Winnie
“of the joy stone; from the friendly town”·“firstborn daughter”·“peaceful friend”
In English use, Winnie is a diminutive of Winston. One English interpretation is “of the joy stone; from the friendly town.” In English use, Winnie is a diminutive of Winona. One Native American interpretation is “firstborn daughter.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In English use, Winnie is a diminutive of Winston. One English interpretation is “of the joy stone; from the friendly town.” In English use, Winnie is a diminutive of Winona. One Native American interpretation is “firstborn daughter.” In English use, Winnie is a diminutive of Winifred. Interpretations include “peaceful friend” and “fair; white-skinned”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In English use, Winnie is a diminutive of Winston. An origin associated with Winston is English. In English use, Winnie is a diminutive of Winona. An origin associated with Winona is Native American. In English use, Winnie is a diminutive of Winifred. An origin associated with Winifred is Welsh.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In English usage, Winnie is a diminutive of Winston. In English usage, Winnie is a diminutive of Winifred.
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. In English use, Winnie is a diminutive of Winston. The history of Winston gives this family its wider story. Winston’s naming history includes the use of a family name as a given name.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Winnie through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 27,337
- 228 boys · 27,109 girls
- Most popular year
- 2025
- 646 babies
- 2025
- 646
- #475 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +81%
- Rising fast
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 646 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 475 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 81.2% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (45). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 11,304 as a first name in 2020; 1,401 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.
Winnie’s family of names
In English usage, Winnie is a diminutive of Winston. Winnie has a related form in Winifred. In English usage, Winnie is a diminutive of Winifred.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 5
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 2
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Winnie
- Winnie MandelaSouth African activist and politician (1936-2018)
- Winnie Byanyima20th and 21st-century Ugandan aeronautical engineer, politician and diplomatborn 1959
- Winnie HarlowJamaican-Canadian fashion modelborn 1994
- Winnie EwingScottish politician (1929–2023)
- Winnie MarkusGerman actress (1921–2002)
- Winnie NanyondoUgandan athletics competitor (born 1993)
- Winnie ShawBritish tennis player (1947-1992)
- Winnie Lightneractress (1899-1971)
- Winnie LiTaiwanese mathematicianborn 1948
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Winnie, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Winter
“born during the winter season”
6% boys · 94% girls
Wynter
“born during the winter”
2% boys · 98% girls
Sylvie
Sylvie is used as a given name and a surname. Sylvie is connected with Silvia.
>99% girls
Maisie
“pearl”
>99% girls
Millie
“rival” · “woman of gentle strength”
>99% girls
Willa
“will” · “desire”
>99% girls
Stevie
“crowned with garland” · “crowned in victory”
4% boys · 96% girls
Elodie
“a wealthy foreigner”
>99% girls