Ukrainian Girl Names
Ukrainian girl names are graceful and full of warmth, and nearly every one comes with a cascade of affectionate forms: Kateryna is Katrusya at home, Mariya becomes Marichka, Solomiya becomes Solomiyka. We’ve gathered 90 Ukrainian girl names with meanings and pronunciation — popular baby names, the classics of an older generation, Slavic names of glory and peace, folk and legendary names, and the diminutives you’ll hear every day.
All names use Ukrainian spelling (Olha, not Olga). For brothers, see Ukrainian boy names; for the wider tradition, including patronymics, visit Ukrainian names. You might also like Polish girl names and Russian girl names.
Popular Ukrainian girl names for babies
Sofiya and Anna are perennial favorites in Ukrainian registry data, while Solomiya and Zlata show how much young parents love names with a distinctly Ukrainian ring.
| Name | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Sofiya | so-FEE-ya | Wisdom |
| Anna | AHN-na | Grace |
| Solomiya | so-lo-MEE-ya | Peace (Ukrainian form of Salome) |
| Mariya | ma-REE-ya | Mary; possibly “beloved” or “bitter” |
| Anastasiya | a-na-STA-see-ya | Resurrection |
| Zlata | ZLAH-ta | Golden |
| Viktoriya | vik-TO-ree-ya | Victory |
| Varvara | var-VAH-ra | Foreign woman (Barbara) |
| Emiliya | e-MEE-lee-ya | From the Roman family Aemilius |
| Polina | po-LEE-na | Of Apollo |
| Yeva | YE-va | Life (Eve) |
| Veronika | ve-RO-nee-ka | Bringer of victory |
| Milana | mee-LAH-na | Dear, gracious |
| Kira | KEE-ra | Lady, mistress (Greek kyria) |
| Alisa | a-LEE-sa | Noble (Alice) |
Classic Ukrainian names for girls
The names of mothers and grandmothers, most from Greek saints and ancient Slavic words.
| Name | Meaning | English equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Olena | Torch, bright light | Helen |
| Oksana | Hospitable (from Xenia) | Xenia |
| Iryna | Peace | Irene |
| Nataliya | Born on Christmas | Natalie |
| Kateryna | Pure | Catherine |
| Tetiana | From the Sabine king Titus Tatius | Tatiana |
| Svitlana | Light, bright | Svetlana |
| Liudmyla | Dear to the people | Ludmila |
| Halyna | Calm, serene (Greek Galene) | Galina |
| Nadiya | Hope | Nadia |
| Olha | Holy (Old Norse Helga) | Olga |
| Larysa | Possibly “seagull,” or from the Greek city Larissa | Larissa |
| Valentyna | Strong, healthy | Valentina |
| Yuliya | Youthful | Julia |
| Oleksandra | Defender of the people | Alexandra |
Slavic Ukrainian girl names with beautiful meanings
These names are built from native Slavic words: glory, peace, light and spring. In Ukrainian tradition Vira, Nadiya and Liubov (Faith, Hope and Love) are sisters, daughters of Sofiya. More in names that mean love.
| Name | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Myroslava | Peace and glory | Diminutive Myrosia |
| Yaroslava | Fierce glory | Feminine of Yaroslav |
| Bohdana | Given by God | Feminine of Bohdan |
| Liubov | Love | Diminutive Liuba |
| Vira | Faith | Short and strong |
| Zoryana | Starry, like a star | From zorya, star |
| Snizhana | Snowy | Lovely for a winter baby |
| Vesna | Spring | Common across Slavic lands |
| Stanislava | Becoming glorious | Diminutive Stasia |
| Vladyslava | Rule of glory | Diminutive Vlada |
| Radoslava | Joyful glory | Uncommon, sunny |
| Liubomyra | Love and peace | Rare and romantic |
| Kvitoslava | Glory of flowers | From kvitka, flower |
| Yasna | Clear, bright | Short and airy |
| Dana | Given | Shared with Czech and Slovak |
Traditional folk names and names from Ukrainian legend
These names echo Ukrainian songs, village life and literature. Mavka is the forest spirit of Lesya Ukrainka’s play The Forest Song; Roksolana was the Ukrainian captive who became wife of Süleyman the Magnificent.
| Name | Meaning / origin | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Yaryna | Peace (folk form of Iryna) | Very popular again |
| Hanna | Grace (folk form of Anna) | Classic village name |
| Odarka | Gift (folk form of Daria) | Heroine of a Ukrainian opera |
| Daryna | Gift (Daria) | Modern favorite |
| Khrystyna | Follower of Christ | Popular in western Ukraine |
| Ustyna | Just, fair (Justina) | Uncommon and elegant |
| Paraska | Preparation; Friday (Paraskeva) | Saint Paraskeva was widely venerated |
| Motria | Lady, matron (Matrona) | Rustic, vintage |
| Lesya | Diminutive of Larysa | Poet Lesya Ukrainka |
| Marusia | Folk form of Mariya | Legendary singer Marusia Churai |
| Horpyna | Folk form of Agrippina | Very old-fashioned |
| Natalka | Folk form of Nataliya | The opera Natalka Poltavka |
| Yevdokiya | Good repute | Folk form Dokiya |
| Oresta | Of the mountains | Feminine of Orest |
| Ivanka | God is gracious | Feminine of Ivan |
| Roksolana | Ruthenian woman | Wife of Süleyman the Magnificent |
| Mavka | A forest nymph of Ukrainian folklore | Heroine of The Forest Song |
| Rohnida | From Old Norse Ragnhild | Princess of Polotsk, wife of Volodymyr the Great |
Modern Ukrainian girl names
International-friendly names that still take a Ukrainian spelling and diminutive.
| Name | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Uliana | Youthful (Juliana) | Very popular now |
| Alina | Possibly “noble” or “light” | Easy abroad |
| Diana | Divine | Roman goddess of the moon |
| Kamila | Attendant at a temple | Soft and modern |
| Evelina | Possibly “hazelnut” or “life” | Elegant |
| Maryana | Mary + Anna | Common in western Ukraine |
| Angelina | Messenger, angel | Romantic |
| Liliya | Lily | Flower name |
| Maiia | Great one; also the month of May | Also spelled Maya |
| Ruslana | Lion | Singer Ruslana won Eurovision 2004 |
| Yana | God is gracious | Short and international |
Sweet Ukrainian diminutives for girls
Ukrainian is rich in pet forms. Families often use several for one child, each warmer than the last.
| Diminutive | Full name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Olenka | Olena | Tender, classic |
| Oksanka | Oksana | Affectionate |
| Katrusya | Kateryna | Distinctively Ukrainian |
| Marichka | Mariya | Popular in the Carpathians |
| Solomiyka | Solomiya | Sweet and playful |
| Yarynka | Yaryna | Sing-song feel |
| Halya | Halyna | Heroine of many folk songs |
| Nadiyka | Nadiya | Gentle |
| Tetianka | Tetiana | Also Tania |
| Lyuda | Liudmyla | Everyday short form |
| Nastia | Anastasiya | Very common |
| Sonia | Sofiya | Very common |
| Irynka | Iryna | Also Ira |
| Olia | Olha | Everyday short form |
| Zlatka | Zlata | Cute and bright |
| Khrystia | Khrystyna | Western Ukrainian feel |
How to choose a Ukrainian girl name
- Choose the Ukrainian spelling. Olha, Tetiana and Halyna are Ukrainian; Olga, Tatiana and Galina are Russian forms of the same names.
- Try it with a patronymic. Formally she will be Name + father’s name + -ivna, such as Solomiya Andriivna. Say the whole thing aloud.
- Pick a name you love in pet form. The diminutive is what family and friends will use most, so make sure you like Katrusya as much as Kateryna.
- Think about life abroad. Anna, Sofiya, Zlata, Kira and Dana travel easily; Horpyna or Yevdokiya may need explaining.
- Look for meaning. Names with -slava celebrate glory, while Myroslava and Iryna both wish for peace. Compare with names that mean peace.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most popular girl name in Ukraine?
Sofiya and Anna are among the most popular names for baby girls, with Solomiya, Mariya, Anastasiya, Zlata and Viktoriya also common. Olena and Nataliya are among the most common names among adult women.
What is a traditional Ukrainian girl name?
Oksana, Olena, Halyna, Yaryna, Odarka, Motria and Paraska are all strongly traditional, and many appear in Ukrainian folk songs.
What does Solomiya mean?
Solomiya is the Ukrainian form of Salome, from the Hebrew shalom, “peace.” It is also linked to the famous Ukrainian opera singer Solomiya Krushelnytska.
What does Oksana mean?
Oksana is the Ukrainian form of Xenia, from the Greek xenia, “hospitality.” It is one of the most recognizably Ukrainian names in the world.
What are cute Ukrainian nicknames for girls?
Popular diminutives include Marichka (Mariya), Katrusya (Kateryna), Olenka (Olena), Nastia (Anastasiya), Sonia (Sofiya) and Zlatka (Zlata).