Antonina — Name Day, Meaning & Origin

Female Polish given name · rank 11 among female names (2024)

A classic Polish female name of Roman descent, the feminine of Antoni.

Pronunciation

/ˌan.tɔ.ˈɲi.na/ · ahn-taw-NYEE-nah

Meaning

Antonina is the feminine counterpart of Antoni (Anthony), derived from the Roman family name Antonius. The meaning of the original Roman nomen remains uncertain, and the name itself evokes dignity and an ancient tradition.

Origin & history

The name is of Roman descent and reached Poland together with Christianity, supported by the cult of saints bearing it. It became firmly rooted in Polish, yielding characteristic diminutives, and in recent years it has enjoyed a clear revival among parents seeking classic, slightly old-fashioned names.

Etymology

The basis is the Roman gentile name Antonius, of uncertain, probably Etruscan etymology. Antonina is its feminine form built with the suffix -ina.

Declension (Polish cases)

Nominative	Antonina
Genitive	Antoniny
Dative	Antoninie
Accusative	Antoninę
Instrumental	Antoniną
Locative	Antoninie
Vocative	Antonino

Name day (imieniny)

In Poland, Antonina celebrates its name day on 1 March, 3 May, 12 June, 31 October.

Diminutives

Tosia, Tola, Antosia, Tośka, Nina.

Forms in other languages

Equivalents in other languages include Antonina (Italian, Russian, Ukrainian) along with related short forms such as Nina (many languages) and Antoņina (Latvian).

Notable people named Antonina

Antonina Żabińska — Wife of the Warsaw zoo director, helped rescue Jews during the occupation.

Antonina Krzysztoń — Polish singer and songwriter associated with sung poetry.

Popularity

Antonina has returned to favour and is now among the most frequently given names to baby girls in Poland.