Is Winona a boy, girl, or unisex name?

Winona is commonly used as a Girl name.

How popular is Winona?

It’s currently ranked #587 in the U.S. Recent trend: Rising.

How do you pronounce Winona?

wi-NO-nah · IPA: /wɪˈnoʊ.nə/

Winona Girl

Popularity: #587 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Origin(s)

Pronunciationwi-NO-nah / wɪˈnoʊ.nə

Native American; English

Meaning

Native American: firstborn; English: joyful

Historical & Cultural Background

Winona is derived from a Native American word meaning 'firstborn'. It has been popularized in American culture through literature and film. The name gained further recognition in the 20th century, particularly in the United States. Winona Ryder, an actress, has contributed to the name's visibility in contemporary culture.

Trend Summary

Winona has seen fluctuating popularity in the United States, with a notable peak in the 1970s and 1980s.

Variants

Wynona

International Variants

Winona (English)

Famous people named Winona

Winona Ryder is an American actress known for her roles in films such as 'Beetlejuice' and 'Girl, Interrupted'.

Winona LaDuke is an American environmentalist and activist known for her work on Native American issues.

Fictional characters named Winona

Winona is a character in the animated series 'The Simpsons', known for her role as a love interest.

Winona is a character in the video game 'Pokémon', known for being a Gym Leader.

Sibling Suggestions

Willow Willa Wendy Whitney Wren Wesley

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Winona was first seen in the United States in 1880. Winona has ranked as high as #987 nationally, which occurred in 2024, and has been most popular in California, Ohio, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Hawaii. In the past 5 years the name Winona has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

Top States for Winona (2024)

Year:

State	Births	Share
CA	30	9%
TX	22	7%
FL	19	6%
OH	19	6%
MN	17	5%
IL	16	5%
NY	14	4%
IN	13	4%
PA	13	4%
CO	12	4%
MA	12	4%
AZ	11	3%
NC	11	3%
OR	10	3%
WI	10	3%

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

Year	Births
1880	6
1881	11
1882	9
1883	9
1884	6
1885	14
1886	9
1887	14
1888	16
1889	14
1890	14
1891	13
1892	20
1893	20
1894	22
1895	20
1896	25
1897	22
1898	30
1899	20
1900	18
1901	28
1902	29
1903	42
1904	32
1905	35
1906	49
1907	34
1908	51
1909	58
1910	65
1911	63
1912	108
1913	120
1914	139
1915	192
1916	219
1917	200
1918	223
1919	188
1920	222
1921	265
1922	261
1923	257
1924	289
1925	270
1926	224
1927	230
1928	223
1929	189
1930	221
1931	252
1932	198
1933	209
1934	199
1935	173
1936	167
1937	172
1938	170
1939	127
1940	129
1941	136
1942	109
1943	108
1944	92
1945	99
1946	90
1947	119
1948	94
1949	100
1950	119
1951	104
1952	113
1953	95
1954	100
1955	105
1956	121
1957	115
1958	105
1959	80
1960	90
1961	78
1962	91
1963	79
1964	78
1965	73
1966	73
1967	59
1968	55
1969	50
1970	48
1971	63
1972	60
1973	57
1974	48
1975	46
1976	53
1977	38
1978	34
1979	34
1980	37
1981	38
1982	21
1983	27
1984	15
1985	23
1986	13
1987	30
1988	16
1989	25
1990	34
1991	50
1992	56
1993	29
1994	39
1995	29
1996	29
1997	20
1998	27
1999	27
2000	28
2001	18
2002	22
2003	16
2004	17
2005	16
2006	22
2007	25
2008	15
2009	16
2010	20
2011	20
2012	34
2013	33
2014	37
2015	37
2016	69
2017	77
2018	96
2019	127
2020	154
2021	175
2022	270
2023	306
2024	381