Ukrainian names — pronunciation, meaning, origin

Nina — Pronunciation, Meaning & Origin

Female Ukrainian name (Ніна)

Pronunciation

Pronunciation card for Nina
/ˈnʲi.nɑ/ · NEE-na
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Meaning

Nina (Ukrainian: Ніна) is a female name with several possible roots. The most common version is that of a Georgian name meaning «girl, young woman»; another connects it with the Sumero-Babylonian goddess Nin.

Origin & History

The etymology of the name is disputed. The weightiest version connects it with the figure of Saint Equal-to-the-Apostles Nina of Georgia (c. 280–335) — Enlightener of Georgia, born in Cappadocia, who preached Christianity in the Kingdom of Georgia and converted King Mirian and Queen Nana. She is venerated by both the Georgian and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. By another hypothesis, the name is cognate with Akkadian Nin (a title of goddesses in Sumero-Babylonian culture). A third version derives the name as a short form of Anna, Antonina, etc. It came to the Slavs through the Byzantine onomasticon; in Ukraine Nina became especially widespread in the 20th century.

Etymology & Roots

Disputed: 1) connected with the figure of Saint Nino of Georgia (Georgian name); 2) Akkadian nin («lady», title of goddesses); 3) a short form of names in -nina (Antonina, etc.).

International equivalents

Equivalents in other languages: Nina (English, Italian, Spanish, German, Swedish, Dutch, Norwegian, Russian, Serbian, Slovene, Croatian, Bulgarian, Slovak, Czech), Ninon (French), Nínive (Spanish).

Diminutives and short forms

Ніночка, Нінушка, Нінуля, Нінуська, Нінусік, Нінель, Нінуся.

Declension (Ukrainian)

NominativeНіна
GenitiveНіни
DativeНіні
AccusativeНіну
InstrumentalНіною
LocativeНіні
VocativeНіно

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