Nina Girl

Popularity: #305 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: NEE-nah /ˈniː.nə/

Origin: Spanish; Slavic; Hebrew

Meaning: Spanish: little girl; Slavic: dreamer; Hebrew: grace

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Nina has multiple etymological roots, primarily deriving from the Spanish and Latin languages. In Spanish, Nina is a diminutive form of names such as Ana or Mariana, meaning 'little girl' or 'child.' This diminutive usage reflects a broader linguistic trend where affectionate or familial terms are formed by shortening names.

The Latin origin can be traced to the word 'nina,' meaning 'little girl' or 'young woman,' which further emphasizes the nurturing connotation associated with the name. The name has also been linked to the Quechua word 'nina,' meaning 'fire,' adding another layer of meaning and cultural significance.

Historically, the name Nina appears in various cultures and contexts. In the biblical tradition, Nina is sometimes associated with the name of a prominent figure, such as Saint Nina, who is credited with bringing Christianity to Georgia in the 4th century.

Her influence in the region has made the name significant in Georgian culture, where it is celebrated and often used. Additionally, the name gained prominence in literature and art, appearing in works from the Renaissance period onward, which contributed to its enduring presence in various cultures.

Culturally, Nina has been embraced in numerous traditions, often symbolizing purity, innocence, and femininity. In Slavic cultures, Nina is sometimes linked to the word for 'dream' or 'dreamer,' enhancing its ethereal quality.

The name has also been associated with various saints and historical figures, which has helped maintain its relevance through the centuries. The name's simplicity and melodic quality have made it a favored choice across different languages and cultures, ensuring its continued resonance in the collective consciousness.

Famous people named Nina

In this section, you will find notable people named Nina. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Nina who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Nina who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Nina Simone is a singer, songwriter, and pianist best known for Feeling Good, I Put a Spell on You, and Sinnerman.

Nina Dobrev is an actress best known for The Vampire Diaries, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and Degrassi: The Next Generation.

Nina Garcia is a fashion journalist and television personality best known for Project Runway, Elle Magazine, and Nina's Style.

Nina Agdal is a model best known for her work with Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, Victoria's Secret, and Billabong.

Nina Totenberg is a legal affairs correspondent best known for her work with NPR and coverage of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Fictional characters named Nina

The following list of fictional characters named Nina is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Nina Williams is a fictional character from the video game series Tekken. She is a skilled assassin known for her rivalry with her sister and her complex backstory.

Nina Simone is a fictional character from the film and musical adaptation of The Life of Nina Simone. She is portrayed as a talented singer and civil rights activist, reflecting the struggles and triumphs of her life.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Nina, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Nina. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Nina was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Nina has ranked as high as #294 nationally, which occurred in 1980, and has been most popular in New York, California, Texas, Illinois, and Pennsylvania.

In the past 5 years the name Nina has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Nina is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Nina was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Nina.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 946 0 946
2024 960 0 960
2023 920 0 920
2022 1,025 0 1,025
2021 1,005 0 1,005
2020 944 0 944
2019 1,006 0 1,006
2018 1,029 0 1,029
2017 1,020 0 1,020
2016 1,047 0 1,047
2015 1,080 0 1,080
2014 1,110 0 1,110
2013 1,116 0 1,116
2012 1,093 0 1,093
2011 1,051 0 1,051
2010 1,002 0 1,002
2009 1,149 0 1,149
2008 1,230 0 1,230
2007 1,270 0 1,270
2006 1,212 0 1,212
2005 1,287 0 1,287
2004 1,326 0 1,326
2003 1,356 0 1,356
2002 1,320 0 1,320
2001 1,306 0 1,306
2000 1,428 0 1,428
1999 1,437 0 1,437
1998 1,348 0 1,348
1997 1,284 0 1,284
1996 1,157 0 1,157
1995 995 6 989
1994 1,067 5 1,062
1993 1,016 0 1,016
1992 1,051 0 1,051
1991 1,102 0 1,102
1990 1,110 8 1,102
1989 1,182 10 1,172
1988 1,235 8 1,227
1987 1,273 8 1,265
1986 1,083 10 1,073
1985 1,206 6 1,200
1984 1,352 10 1,342
1983 1,345 0 1,345
1982 1,434 7 1,427
1981 1,707 6 1,701
1980 1,896 7 1,889
1979 857 0 857
1978 565 0 565
1977 625 0 625
1976 567 0 567
1975 726 0 726
1974 732 0 732
1973 746 5 741
1972 805 6 799
1971 839 0 839
1970 824 0 824
1969 823 10 813
1968 805 0 805
1967 978 0 978
1966 1,064 0 1,064
1965 1,064 5 1,059
1964 1,143 0 1,143
1963 1,273 0 1,273
1962 1,283 5 1,278
1961 1,249 7 1,242
1960 1,242 7 1,235
1959 1,344 5 1,339
1958 1,194 0 1,194
1957 1,325 5 1,320
1956 1,331 5 1,326
1955 1,351 0 1,351
1954 1,489 0 1,489
1953 1,377 0 1,377
1952 1,356 0 1,356
1951 1,035 0 1,035
1950 1,011 0 1,011
1949 943 0 943
1948 1,022 0 1,022
1947 1,004 5 999
1946 1,013 0 1,013
1945 882 0 882
1944 1,007 0 1,007
1943 939 0 939
1942 915 0 915
1941 884 6 878
1940 911 0 911
1939 917 0 917
1938 977 5 972
1937 906 5 901
1936 942 5 937
1935 975 9 966
1934 1,032 5 1,027
1933 976 0 976
1932 974 0 974
1931 1,002 5 997
1930 1,001 5 996
1929 968 0 968
1928 1,030 7 1,023
1927 1,057 0 1,057
1926 1,116 5 1,111
1925 1,202 5 1,197
1924 1,217 5 1,212
1923 1,192 0 1,192
1922 1,131 0 1,131
1921 1,212 0 1,212
1920 1,226 0 1,226
1919 1,124 0 1,124
1918 1,171 6 1,165
1917 1,160 6 1,154
1916 1,135 5 1,130
1915 1,085 0 1,085
1914 828 0 828
1913 668 0 668
1912 582 0 582
1911 466 0 466
1910 478 0 478
1909 434 0 434
1908 449 0 449
1907 433 0 433
1906 340 0 340
1905 354 0 354
1904 348 0 348
1903 345 0 345
1902 369 0 369
1901 295 0 295
1900 376 0 376
1899 390 0 390
1898 383 0 383
1897 336 0 336
1896 320 0 320
1895 353 5 348
1894 347 0 347
1893 330 0 330
1892 340 0 340
1891 273 0 273
1890 314 0 314
1889 315 0 315
1888 304 0 304
1887 266 0 266
1886 238 0 238
1885 198 5 193
1884 187 0 187
1883 177 0 177
1882 171 0 171
1881 123 0 123
1880 119 0 119

Top States for Nina (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 126
14%
NY 92
10%
FL 77
8%
TX 66
7%
NJ 50
5%
PA 50
5%
IL 40
4%
MI 38
4%
MA 37
4%
OH 36
4%
NC 28
3%
WA 24
3%
MN 19
2%
VA 18
2%
GA 18
2%
IN 18
2%
CO 15
2%
MO 14
2%
CT 13
1%
TN 13
1%
UT 12
1%
MD 12
1%
DC 11
1%
OR 11
1%
WI 11
1%
AZ 10
1%
KS 9
1%
KY 9
1%
SC 9
1%
LA 7
1%
NH 7
1%
OK 5
1%
NM 5
1%