Winona
Winona: name meaning, origin and popularity
Pronunciation (IPA): /wɪˈnoʊnə/
Meaning and origin of Winona
Root meaning: “firstborn daughter”
- A female given name from Dakota, used mainly in the United States.
Etymology
From Dakota winúŋna (“firstborn daughter”). While not originally used as a personal name by the Dakota, it has been adopted as such by English speakers. John Koontz suggested that the name was a compound of wi- (“female”) + no (“first”) + -na (a diminutive suffix) and thus a reflex of Proto-Siouan *rǫ/*nǫ (“one”). That root is otherwise unattested in the Sioux languages, which use reflexes of *wį(y)ą (“one”) instead, and a more prosaic analysis identifies the first elements of the name with winyan (“woman”).
How popular is Winona?
Since 1880, 12,953 girls in the U.S. have been named Winona. Its highest rank for girls was #407 in 1924. In 2025 it ranked #627 for girls, with 466 babies given the name.
Names similar to Winona
Names that start with the same letters, most popular first.
Winona FAQ
What does the name Winona mean?
Winona traces back to a root meaning "firstborn daughter". A female given name from Dakota, used mainly in the United States. From Dakota winúŋna (“firstborn daughter”). While not originally used as a personal name by the Dakota, it has been adopted as such by English speakers. John Koontz suggested that the name was a compound of wi- (“female”) + no (“first”) + -na (a diminutive suffix) and thus a reflex of Proto-Siouan *rǫ/*nǫ (“one”). That root is otherwise unattested in the Sioux languages, which use reflexes of *wį(y)ą (“one”) instead, and a more prosaic analysis identifies the first elements of the name with winyan (“woman”).
What is the origin of the name Winona?
Winona is listed as a name of Dakota origin.
How popular is the name Winona?
Since 1880, 12,953 girls in the U.S. have been named Winona. Its highest rank for girls was #407 in 1924. In 2025 it ranked #627 for girls, with 466 babies given the name.
Is Winona a boy or girl name?
Winona is mostly a girl name in the U.S.: 12,953 girls and 0 boys since 1880.
Popularity data: U.S. Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880–2025 (names given to 5+ babies per year). Origin and etymology text: Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.