This post contains affiliate links.
At a Glance: Name: Nina – Origin: Russian (via an obscure-origin Georgian saint's name) or Italian (diminutive) – Gender: Girl – Pronunciation: NEE-nah
Nina is a short, vintage name for a girl, pronounced NEE-nah. You may have heard that Nina means 'little girl' or 'dreamer', but that's not the real story — it's a coincidental resemblance to the Spanish word niña. Etymologists instead trace it to an obscure-origin Georgian saint's name (by way of Russian), or to an Italian pet form of Anna or Giovanna.
Meaning & Origin of Nina
Origin: Russian (via an obscure-origin Georgian saint's name) or Italian (diminutive).
A common claim: Nina means 'little girl' (or 'dreamer') Actually: 'Little girl' is a coincidental resemblance to the Spanish word niña, not the real etymology. Nina traces instead to a Georgian saint's name of obscure origin (via Russian), or to an Italian pet form of Anna or Giovanna.
Source: Wiktionary.
How to Pronounce Nina
Phonetic: NEE-nah IPA: /ˈniːnə/
Popularity of Nina
Nina ranked #321 in 2024, given to 955 baby girls, well down from its all-time peak of #115 in 1887, when 266 girls received the name.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1880–2024.
Make Nina Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Nina, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Nina mean?
Nina means ‘little girl’ (or ‘dreamer’) ‘Little girl’ is a coincidental resemblance to the Spanish word niña, not the real etymology. Nina traces instead to a Georgian saint’s name of obscure origin (via Russian), or to an Italian pet form of Anna or Giovanna.
How do you pronounce Nina?
Nina is pronounced NEE-nah (IPA: /ˈniːnə/).
Is Nina a popular name right now?
Nina peaked at #115 in 1887 and is ranked #321 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2024.)
📊 How popular is Nina? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
🎲 Think you know your baby names? Take the quiz!
🎨 Get Printable Name Art for Nina
Beautiful nursery-ready 8×10" print with name & meaning
Preview & Download →More Baby Name Inspiration
📱 The Baby Names app is here
Swipe names, match with your partner the moment you both say yes, and claim a free Name Art print of your winner. Free to download. See all our apps →
