60+ Slavic Girl Names with Their Meaning

You've probably heard many Slavic girl names before — Mila, Anastasia, Olga, Natasha. These names of Slavic origins are popular around the world, mostly because of famous actresses and public figures. But ask any random ten people from any Slavic country what Slavic female names they like, and you'll get ten different answers.

The reasons for this are simple: there are countless beautiful Slavic names with numerous variations and many meanings. The Slavic people live in many countries across the globe and preserve their unique heritage and culture. Part of this uniqueness is reflected in their names.

Names are very important in the Slavic culture. There are special name days and traditions connected with naming children in the Slavic world still observed today. In this list, you'll find a comprehensive guide to the most popular Slavic girl names and their meanings.

Most Popular Slavic Girl Names

When you think about Slavic names, you likely think of names used in Russia, Ukraine, Poland, or the Czech Republic. However, you might be surprised to learn that most Slavic names have Latin, Greek, or Hebrew origins.

Whether you want to find out the meaning of a particular Slavic name or looking for a unique and beautiful name for your daughter, here’s a list of the most popular Slavic girl names.

Popular Slavic Girl Names Starting with A-H

Adrijana is a variation of the Croatian name Adriana, which means “from the region of Adria.” It’s also a female form of the masculine name Adrian.

Ana is one of the most popular names in the world, and it has variations in many different languages, such as Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Croatian, Polish, and so on. Ana is a derivative of the Hebrew name “Channah,” meaning “favor, grace.” It can have different meanings in different languages.

Anastasia is a popular Slavic girl name of Russian origins, meaning “resurrection” or “rebirth.” Some of its variations include Anastasiya (Bulgarian), Anastassia (Estonian), and Nastasiya (Ukrainian).

This is a Slavic girl name of Russian and Serbian origins, meaning “a woman who is god-given.” It’s a derivative of the male name Bogdan, which means “God-given” from the words “bogu” (god) and “dan” (given).

Bojana is a name of Russian and Serbian origins, meaning “she who fights battles.” It’s a female form of the male name Bojan.

Branka is a feminine form of the Slavic name Branislav, which means protection (borna) and glory (slava). Branka is a name of Croatian and Serbian origin.

The name Dominika, of Latin origin, is a feminine form of the name Dominik. This name means "of the Lord" and derives from the word Dominicus. It was a name given to children born on Sunday. It's a popular choice for Catholic parents.

Ekaterina is widely used in Russia and Bulgaria but not in other countries. It's also the Russian equivalent of Katherine. It means “pure,” and it’s a name of Russian origin.

Elena is a feminine form of the Greek name Elias (meaning "God is my God").

The name Eleanora is an English variant spelling of Eleanor, which comes from the Occitan name Alienòr. It means “ bright, shining light.”

Elizabeta is a Slovene and Croatian name derived from Elizabeth, which comes from Hebrew Elisheba, meaning "oath of God."

Popular Slavic Girl Names Starting with I-O

This name comes from the Greek name "Eirene," which means “peace”. It was also a name borne by a Greek goddess of peace. It’s a Slavic derivative from a more popular form, Irene.

The Slavic girl name Ivana is a female form of the name “Ivan”, which is a newer form of the Slavic name Ioannu, an equivalent of the Greek name Ioannes. Ivana means “the gift of Yahweh.”

This name means “clear” or “pure” in Serbian, Croatian, and Macedonian. It derives from the word “jasno,” which means “clean, sharp.”

This is a name of Germanic origin, deriving from the German masculine name “Karl," meaning manly or strong. In Polish, Karolina is a feminine form of the male name Karol.

Kata is a diminutive of the name Katalin (Hungarian), Katariina (Finnish), or Katerina (Croatian). The origin of this name is not fully known, but it’s mainly attributed to the Greek word "katharos," meaning pure, clean, or chaste.

Krystyna is the Polish name for Christina. It’s often used as an equivalent of Christine or Kristin in English-speaking countries and other European countries. It comes from the medieval Latin masculine name “Christianus,” meaning “a Christian.”

This is a common name in Russia, but it is also used as a short form of Helena, which derives from the Greek word “helene,” meaning “torch.” The name may also be spelled Lenka or Lenna.

Ljuba is a very common Slavic name, which is feminine in every Slavic country except for Serbia. Ljuba, also spelled Lyuba, comes from the word “lyuby,” which means “love” or “the loved one.” Additionally, some say that this name derives from the name of the capital city of Slovenia, Ljubljana.

The Slavic girl name Ludmila means "loved by the people." It comes from the Slavic words "lyudu," which means "people," and “mila,” which means “dear.” It is a name of Russian origin, used mainly in Russia, Latvia, and the Czech Republic. Its alternative spelling is Lyudmila.

This is a Slavic girl name meaning "of Magdala," an ancient city on Lake Galilee where Mary Magdalene lived. Mary Magdalene was an important figure in Christianity because she witnessed Jesus' resurrection after his crucifixion. This name of Biblical origin is popular in many languages, such as Polish, Czech, German, Croatian, Romanian, and more.

Maryana is a Ukrainian form of the Russian name Marianna, meaning "pearl." It is a combination of the names Maria and Anna. Maryana is also a very popular name among Russians and Belarussians.

Nadia, or Nadya, is a Russian or Bulgarian diminutive of the name Nadezhda, which means “hope.”

Nina is one of the most popular Slavic girl names. It is of Russian origin, but its meaning is unknown. It can also be a diminutive of the name ending on “nina”, like Antonina.

This is a name of Greek origin. Oksana is a Ukrainian form of the name Xenia, meaning hospitality in Greek. The name Xenia derives from the Greek word “xenos,” meaning “foreigner, guest.”

Olga is another popular Slavic girl name used in many Slavic countries. It is derived from the Old Norse name Helga, which derives from the word “heilagr,” meaning "holy, blessed.”

Popular Slavic Girl Names Starting with P-Z

Roza is a Slavic name that means “rose". It's a very common name in Russia, and it’s a cognate of the name Rosa in Romance languages or Rose in English.

The girl name Slavica sounds Slavic, and it absolutely is! This name derives from the Slavic word “slava,” meaning “glory, fame.” It is mainly used in Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, and Macedonian languages.

Sonja, also spelled Sonya in many languages, is a diminutive of a much more popular name, Sophia. Sophia is a Greek name meaning “wisdom.”

Stanislava is the feminine form of the masculine name Stanislav. It comes from the Slavic words “stani,” meaning “to stand, to become,” and “slava,” meaning glory. So Stanislava means strength, fame, and praise. It’s a very popular name in the Czech Republic and Poland, where it’s spelled Stanisława.

Svetlana is one of the most popular Slavic girl names out there today — it is used in Russia and other Slavic countries, like Ukraine and Belarus. Svetlana derives from the Russian word “svet,” which means “light, world.”

Tamara is a variation of the Hebrew name Tamar, which means “palm tree” or “date.” It’s also a name of Biblical origins. The name Tamara is widely used in many Slavic countries, such as Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, and the Czech Republic.

Tatiana is a Russian name with many variations, such as Tatjana, Tanya, or Tanja. It is the feminine form of the masculine name Tatianus, derived from the Latin name Tatius. It is said that Tatiana means “fairy queen.”

The name Valentina comes from the Latin word “valens,” meaning "healthy” and “strong.” Valentina is a name of Latin origin, which is mainly popular in Russia. It’s also commonly used in Spanish-speaking countries.

Vesna is a popular Slavic name meaning “spring”. It was the name of a Slavic goddess of springtime.

The name Viktoriya comes from the Latin word victoria, meaning "victory." It’s a Russian, Ukrainian, and Bulgarian equivalent of the name Victoria, who was a Roman goddess of victory. Victoria is also a female form of the name Victor or Viktor.

Violeta is a Slavic diminutive of the Latin name Viola, meaning “violet.” It's also used in many other languages around the world. Violeta was the name of the heroine of Twelfth Night by Shakespeare.

Yelena means "light" or “torch.” It is yet another variation of the name Helena. It can also be spelled with a “j,” as in Jelena. This Slavic girl name is most popular in Serbia.

Yulia is the Russian spelling for the English name Julia. It can also be spelled Yulija. This name is a feminine form of the Roman name Julius. It is said that Yulia and its variations mean “youthful” or “the child of love.”

Željka is the feminine form of the masculine name Željko. It is a beautiful Serbo-Croatian name that derives from the South Slavic word “želja,” meaning "desire."

Rare Slavic Girl Names

The Slavic girl names are mostly traditional and classic, but some have a modern twist or unusual spelling that makes them more original and unique.

So if you're looking for something different than the typical Olga or Svetlana, then take a look at this list!

• Biljana
• Blaga
• Draga
• Fyedora
• Gorana
• Izolda
• Kupala
• Marzanna
• Mokosh
• Morana
• Perperuna
• Radica
• Velika
• Volha
• Yarmilla
• Zivanka
• Zlata

Traditional Slavic Girl Names

While many Slavic girl names are more modern and trendy, some traditional and old Slavic girl names can be found in the family tree of your Slavic friend or your own.

These names are still popular today and make great choices for parents who want something classic and unique at the same time.

Here are some of our favorite traditional Slavic girl names:

• Agata
• Ivanka
• Jovana
• Lada
• Minna
• Morana
• Nuriya
• Praskovya
• Raisa
• Stanislava
• Urszula

As you can see, Slavic girl names are among the most beautiful in the world. Slavic women have always been appreciated as the most beautiful ones in Europe. No wonder their names are so popular in other cultures.

The charm of the Slavic people seems to be linked to the magic of their names, and many are now becoming popular in other cultures. No matter the name or its meaning, each girl that carries one of these beautiful names should be proud of her heritage.

And there you have it! We hope that this list of Slavic girl names and their fascinating origins has given you the inspiration or the information you've been looking for.

For more Slavic girl names, see these articles on Polish girl names and Czech girl names.

This article has a companion article which covers Slavic boy names.

By Karolina Assi

Karolina Assi is an English and Polish teacher on iTalki.com. She is a polyglot and a digital nomad. So far, she has traveled to 28 countries and lived in 4. Right now, she teaches, writes, and creates content from the Dominican Republic.

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