Ukrainian Names

Xena

Pop culture, Greek

"guest, hospitality"

Likely a variation of the Greek name Xenia, Xena is associated with the the TV Warrior Princess, played by Lucy Lawless back in the 90s. Also used as a diminutive form of Alexina or Zenobia, the name…

Sonia

Russian and Scandinavian variation of Sophia

"wisdom"

Early European import, well known in the 1940s via Norwegian skating movie star Sonja Henie, that has sailed back across the Atlantic, despite the rising popularity of other Russian names.

Sonya

See SONIA.

Zofia

Czech, Polish, and Ukrainian variation of Sophia

"wisdom"

An international variation of Sophia that ranks in the Top 10 in Poland and the Top 1000 in England and Wales. Zosia is a charming diminutive.

Zena

Variation of Xenia, Greek

"guest, hospitality"

Familiar through the similarly pronounced TV Warrior Princess, Xena, this name ultimately derives from the Greek Xenia, meaning "guest, foreigner, hospitality". Familiar in the early 19th century in…

Sofiya

Sofiya is a feminine name of Slavic origin, representing the Eastern European variant of the popular Greek name Sophia. It means 'wisdom' or 'knowledge' and has deep historical roots across many…

Aleksandra

Russian, Ukrainian and Bulgarian version of Alexandra, Greek

"defending men"

Aleksandra is the preferred spelling in many Eastern European languages and cultures, but for English-speakers it's ironically more confusing if also perfectly phonetically clear.

Olenna

Literary name or variation of Olena, Ukrainian

"light, shining torch"

Likely inspired by the Ukrainian form of Helen, Olena, George R. R. Martin used this spelling for a character in his "A Song of Ice and Fire" series. The name first appeared in the US stats in 2017,…

Iana

Latin, Slavic variation of Jane

"God is gracious"

In Roman mythology, Iana was an epithet of Diana, goddess of the moon. If pronunciation troubles worry you, use the Yana spelling instead.

Zenia

Zenia is a feminine name with multiple possible origins. It may derive from the Greek name Xenia, meaning "hospitality" or "foreign," reflecting the ancient Greek concept of welcoming strangers.…

Oksana

Russian from Hebrew

"praise to God"

Ukrainian figure-skating champion Oksana Baiul made it known here.

Nazara

Feminine form of Nazar and Nazr, Russian, Arabic

"from Nazareth; to see, to vow,"

A multicultural femininization of two similar but separate names, Nazara could make a spiritual choice that may appeal to fans of Azariah, Neriah, Nadira, and Zahra. From its Russian, Ukrainian, and…

Zenna

Zenna is a feminine name with multiple possible origins. It may be derived from the Greek name Xenia, meaning "hospitable" or "welcoming to strangers," or it could be a variation of Zena, which comes…

Afina

Russian and Ukrainian form of Athena, Romanian

"from Athens; bilberry"

A multicultural name with two quite different meanings, Afina is the Russian and Ukrainian form of Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom and war, and a Romanian name, derived from afin meaning…