Winona

Winona - A very unique female name

Winona appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #523. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Winona and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Winona? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Winona. The baby girl name Winona was given to 421 baby girls in 2025, ranking #633 on the national girl baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 3,096 baby girls were given this name - making this a very unique female name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Winona peaked in popularity 102 years ago in 1924 on position 409.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Winona, 1-5?

Winona is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Winona is currently topping the baby name charts in Maine at position #207 - and is the least popular in Texas at position #1,005.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Winona is where you live.

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Winona origin and meaning

Dakota (Sioux)

'First-born daughter' in the Dakota language

Winona is a traditional Dakota name given to a first-born daughter, preserved in the legend of Winona and in Minnesota place names. It lingered at low levels in the US for a century, then jumped dramatically in the 2020s to its highest use ever in 2025 — a genuine late revival.

Attested etymology

Winona is a 6 letter name with 3 syllables.

To see famous people named Winona, pop culture references for the name Winona and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Winona

We've found the following names that sound similar to Winona, sorted by popularity.

Winnie / Wynona / Wynema / Wynn / Wynne / Wenona / Wyoma / Winni / Wynonna / Wayne /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Winona

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Winona a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique female name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Winona?

3 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

win-OH-nah · /wɪˈnoʊnə/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

• Wenona — An older anglicised spelling variant.
• Winonna — A double-n variant spelling.

Nicknames: NonaWinnie

Famous bearers

• Winona Ryder — Actor, star of Beetlejuice, Heathers and Stranger Things (b. 1971) Contemporary
• Winona LaDuke — Native American activist, economist and author from the White Earth Reservation (b. 1959) Contemporary

Style

Vintage revivalInternational

Why parents choose it

Parents are rediscovering Winona for its flowing sound and its real roots in Dakota tradition, plus a beloved 90s namesake.

Worth knowing

• For many it is a one-person name — Winona Ryder — and its Dakota origin deserves respect rather than costume use.