Slavic Girl Names: a comprehensive guide

You've probably heard many Slavic girl names before — Mila, Anastasia, Olga, Natasha. These names of Slavic origins are popular worldwide, primarily because of famous actresses and public figures.

But if you ask ten random people from Slavic countries which female names they like most, you will likely get ten different answers. The reason is that there are many different Slavic languages resulting in countless beautiful Slavic names with numerous variations.

Most Popular Slavic Girl Names

Slavic names can be derived from Slavic root words, but there are also many which have Latin, Greek, or Hebrew origins (despite their Slavic spelling).

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 origin, 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 origin, 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 origin, 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.

Dominika is a feminine form of the name Dominik, which means “of the Lord” and is derived from the Latin word Dominicus. The name was typically given to children born on Sunday and is 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.”

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 names ending in “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.”

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 some Slavic languages, is a diminutive of the name Sophia, a Greek name that translates to “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 Slavic root word “svet,” which means “light.”

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, a well-known Slavic name, refers to the season of “spring.” It was also the name of a goddess associated with springtime in Slavic mythology.

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’s name is most popular in Serbia.

Yulia, also spelled as Yulija, is the Russian equivalent of the English name Julia. 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 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 names:

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

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

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