Given name & surname · also African
Zina
“A secret spirit”·“welcoming”
Zina is a Russian short form that has also been used in English-speaking communities.
Original Hebrewזינא
Meaning & origin
What it means
“A secret spirit” and “welcoming” occur as interpretations in other naming contexts; neither is established as the literal meaning of the Russian short form.
Where it comes from
In Russian use, Zina belongs to the Zinaida and Zinovia name families. Other naming traditions use the same spelling.
How it developed
Russian Zina shortens Zinaida or Zinovia.
The story
Its use has extended beyond Russian into English-speaking communities, although a precise chronology is not established.
In the Bible
In the Bible, the name Zina appears in 1 Chronicles 23:10.
From biblical name research
Zina through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 5,073
- 10 boys · 5,063 girls
- Most popular year
- 1964
- 798 babies
- 2025
- 15
- #7,486 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −34%
- Easing
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 15 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 7,486 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 34.3% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 793 in 1964. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 5,009 as a first name in 2020; 209 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.
Zina’s family of names
Zina is a short form of Zinaida. Zina has a related form in Zena. Zina has a related form in Zinah.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Zina has relatives in 4 languages. Lines run from its English roots to each of them.
5 related names in 4 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 11
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Zenavariant
- Zynahvariant
- Zynavariant
- Zinoviafull form
- Zinaidafull form
- Zinehvariant
- Zinevariant
- Zinahvariant
Show 3 moreShow fewer
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 3
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Zina
- Zina GarrisonAmerican tennis playerborn 1963
- Zina BethuneAmerican actress, dancer, and choreographer (1945-2012)
- Zina KocherCanadian biathleteborn 1982
- Zina Saro-WiwaBritish video artist and filmmaker (born 1976)
- Zina HarmanIsraeli politician1914–2013
- Zina Kalay-KleitmanIsraeli diplomat
- Zina GoldsteinYiddish theatre actress and singer1894
- Zina Young CardAmerican religious leader and activist1850–1931
- Zina AitaBrazilian painter (1900-1967)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Zina, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Johnna
“God is gracious”
>99% girls
Tina
Tina is used as a given name and a surname. One English interpretation is “from the river; also shortened torm of names ending in -tina.”
>99% girls
Gina
“God is gracious” · “queen”
>99% girls
Twyla
“woven with double thread”
>99% girls
Martina
“dedicated to Mars, the god of war”
>99% girls
Mona
“one who is born into the nobility” · “a jealous man”
>99% girls
Moira
“share”
>99% girls
Shelley
“from the bank's meadow” · “from the meadow's ledge”
>99% girls