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Wenona

♀ Girl

How to Pronounce Wenona

Pronounced wuh-NOH-nuh /wəˈnoʊ.nə/Medium

Meaning: Wenona is a variant spelling of Winona, from the Dakota (Sioux) word Winúna, the customary birth-order name given to a firstborn daughter. Nineteenth-century American writers helped spread it well beyond its Dakota origins.Medium

In 30 seconds: Wenona is a spelling of Winona, a Dakota name meaning 'firstborn daughter'; it stayed rare and, unusually, reached its small crest in the mid-nineteen-seventies rather than the early 1900s.

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Origin MediumDakota, Native American

MeaningWenona is a variant spelling of Winona, from the Dakota (Sioux) word Winúna, the customary birth-order name given to a firstborn daughter. Nineteenth-century American writers helped spread it well beyond its Dakota origins.

U.S. rank (2023)#17452 ↗ Rising

2023 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1975

Total births (all-time)≈ 1,168

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

Wenona is one of several English spellings of Winona, from the Dakota Winúna, the traditional name for a firstborn daughter. The name entered wider American use through nineteenth-century literature and place-names, and the Wenona spelling followed as a phonetic variant.

Its United States history is quiet and, oddly, back-loaded: rather than peaking with the early-century vintage names, this spelling reached its modest crest in the mid-nineteen-seventies. Handled with respect for its Dakota roots, it remains a gentle, uncommon nature-and-heritage choice.

Did you know? In Dakota tradition, Winona was not chosen but automatic — it was simply the name a first-born girl received by her birth order, which is why the name carries a built-in meaning of 'the eldest daughter.'

Overall data confidence 75%

Behind the Name — Winona — Dakota Winúna, firstborn daughter

Variations

WinonaWynonaWenonah

Nicknames

WinnieNona

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Wenona…

Winona— the standard spelling of the same Dakota name

Wynona— a sister spelling with the identical meaning and sound

Ramona— a same-era three-syllable name with a similar soft ending

Juanita— a comparable heritage name of the same gentle rhythm

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Wenona mean?

Wenona is a form of Winona, a Dakota (Sioux) name traditionally given to a firstborn daughter.

How do you pronounce Wenona?

It's said wuh-NOH-nuh /wəˈnoʊ.nə/ — three syllables, stress in the middle.

Is Wenona a boy or girl name?

Wenona is a girl's name.

Is Wenona making a comeback?

It remains rare, though the standard spelling Winona has seen quiet renewed interest.