Female Polish given name · 3166 births in 2024 (rank 8)
/ˈpɔ.la/ · PAW-lah
Pola is an old, short Polish name that is a clipped form of Apolonia. Apolonia in turn refers to the Greek god Apollo, patron of art, light and music, so Pola indirectly inherits these associations of beauty and brightness.
The name was made famous in the twentieth century by the Polish-born silent-film star Pola Negri, who made it recognizable abroad as well. Though rare for decades, in recent years it has enjoyed a clear revival and has come back into favour as a short, retro-sounding name for girls.
Pola is a short form of Apolonia, which derives from the Greek Apollōnía, meaning "dedicated to Apollo" — the god of the sun, art and prophecy.
| Nominative | Pola |
| Genitive | Poli |
| Dative | Poli |
| Accusative | Polę |
| Instrumental | Polą |
| Locative | Poli |
| Vocative | Polo |
In Poland, Pola celebrates its name day on 9 February.
Polcia, Polka, Poleczka, Polusia.
The full form and its equivalents in other languages include Apollonia (Greek, Italian), Apolline (French), Apolena (Czech, Slovak) and Polona (Slovene).
Pola is one of the short, retro names that have been clearly gaining popularity in Poland in recent years.