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name

Winona

wih-NOH-nuh

Winona (name) means a feminine given name of Dakota Sioux origin, meaning "firstborn daughter.". Example: “Winona Ryder is an American actress.”

name
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A feminine given name of Dakota Sioux origin, meaning "firstborn daughter."
"Winona Ryder is an American actress."
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Etymology

From Dakota winúŋna (“firstborn daughter”). While not originally used as a personal name by the Dakota, it has been adopted as such by English speakers. John Koontz suggested that the name was a compound of wi- (“female”) + no (“first”) + -na (a diminutive suffix) and thus a reflex of Proto-Siouan *rǫ/*nǫ (“one”). That root is otherwise unattested in the Sioux languages, which use reflexes of *wį(y)ą (“one”) instead, and a more prosaic analysis identifies the first elements of the name with winyan (“woman”).

Rhymes for Winona

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Frequently asked questions

What does “Winona” mean?

The word “Winona” means a feminine given name of Dakota Sioux origin, meaning "firstborn daughter.".

How do you pronounce “Winona”?

“Winona” is pronounced wih-NOH-nuh (/wɪˈnoʊnə/ in IPA).

How do you use “Winona” in a sentence?

Here is “Winona” used in a sentence: “Winona Ryder is an American actress.”

What part of speech is “Winona”?

“Winona” is a name.

Definitions: FreeDict original editorial · etymology from Wiktionary