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Home › Baby Names Directory › Polina

Polina

♀ Girl

Pronounced pah-LEE-nah /pɑˈli.nɑ/High

Meaning: Small, humble; Russian form of Pauline/Paulina, feminine of Latin PaulusMedium

In 30 seconds: The Russian everyday form of Paulina — Latin for 'small' — with a possible secret thread back to Apollo. Ballet-school elegance, samovar warmth.
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Origin MediumRussian, Latin
MeaningSmall, humble; Russian form of Pauline/Paulina, feminine of Latin Paulus
U.S. rank (2025)#3284 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births48 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2017
Total births (all-time)≈ 1,334

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 201719912025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Polina is the Russian form of Paulina, the feminine of Latin Paulus, 'small, humble' — a Roman family name spread across Europe by St. Paul. Some Russian references also derive it as a short form of Apollinariya, ultimately from the god Apollo, giving the name a sunlit second story.

Polina has been a steady Russian favorite for two centuries — in Pushkin's and Dostoevsky's pages, in ballet academies, and on recent lists of Russia's most popular girls' names. In the U.S. it is rare, chosen mainly by Russian and Eastern European families.

Did you know? In Dostoevsky's The Gambler, the narrator's tormenting love is Polina — a name the novelist borrowed from his own turbulent muse, Polina Suslova.
Overall data confidence 85%
Behind the Name — Polina — etymology

Variations

PaulinaPaulineApollinariya

Nicknames

PolyaLina

Famous Bearers

  • ★Polina Gagarina (1987-)
    Russian singer who represented Russia at Eurovision 2015
  • ★Polina Semionova (1984-)
    Russian ballerina and principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre
  • ★Polina Edmunds (1998-)
    American figure skater and silver medalist at the 2015 Four Continents Championship

If you like Polina…

Paulina— the Latin form behind the Russian name
Alina— a fellow -lina favorite across the Slavic world
Karina— shares the Russian three-syllable elegance
Yelena— another Russian classic familiar in the diaspora

Explore names like Polina

By themeclassicrussian

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Polina mean?

Polina is the Russian form of Paulina, from Latin Paulus, 'small, humble'; some sources also link it to Apollinariya and the god Apollo.

How do you pronounce Polina?

It's said pah-LEE-nah /pɑˈli.nɑ/ — three syllables, stress on the second.

Is Polina a boy or girl name?

Polina is a girl's name.

How popular is Polina?

Polina is rare in the U.S. but ranks among the most popular girls' names in modern Russia.

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