Girl name · Slavic
Svetlana
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: light, luminousSvetlana is a girl's name that comes from Slavic and means "light, luminous". It is used in Russian.
- Meaning
- Light, luminous
- Origin
- Slavic
- Gender
- Girl
- Say it
- svyet-LAH-nah (Russian)
Meaning and origin of Svetlana
As a girl's name, Svetlana comes from Slavic and means "light, luminous". It is used in Russian.
In Russian, say svyet-LAH-nah. Respellings are a guide; accents vary by region.
Its meaning puts Svetlana on our names that mean light list.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Svetlana on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Svetlana on 3 lists.
“Light, luminous; Russian. Lana and Sveta for short”
From Names that mean light, girl names that mean light
“Light, bright; Slavic svet. Diminutive Sveta. Say svyet-LAH-nah”
From Russian girl names, slavic girl names
“Russian name meaning light, a bold pick for the sun-shy”
From Vampire names, female vampire names
How popular is Svetlana?
- US rank in 2025
- #6,520
- 18 babies, 11 per million girls
- Best rank
- #3,327 in 2007
- 51 babies that year
- Babies since 1967
- At least 928
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 0 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 0 per million |
| 1900s | 0 per million |
| 1910s | 0 per million |
| 1920s | 0 per million |
| 1930s | 0 per million |
| 1940s | 0 per million |
| 1950s | 0 per million |
| 1960s | 1 per million |
| 1970s | 4 per million |
| 1980s | 1 per million |
| 1990s | 9 per million |
| 2000s | 16 per million |
| 2010s | 14 per million |
| 2020s | 14 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #6,381 | #5,504 | #4,759 | #5,957 | #4,864 | #5,726 | #5,961 | #5,111 | #5,590 | #6,520 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Nicknames for Svetlana
Established short forms and pet names, not made-up ones.
- Svetatraditional short form (Russian)
Names with a similar meaning
- LuciaLight, brightness (Latin, girl)
- LucianaLight, brightness (Latin, girl)
- LucianoLight, brightness (Latin, boy)
- LucyLight, brightness (Latin, girl)
- NoorLight, radiance (Arabic, unisex)
- UrielGod is my light (Hebrew, boy)
- AbnerMy father is light (Hebrew, boy)
- LuceLight (Latin, girl)
- LucilleLight (Latin, girl)
- NuriMy light (Arabic, boy)
Middle names for Svetlana
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
- AoifeBeauty, radiance (Irish Gaelic, girl)
- DawnDaybreak (English, girl)
- FernLeafy woodland plant (Old English, girl)
- HonorEsteem, dignity (Latin, girl)
- HopeThe virtue of hope (English, girl)
- JoyGladness, delight (English, girl)
- LeighMeadow, clearing (Old English, girl)
- PaigeYoung servant, page (Old French, girl)
More girl names from Slavic
- NadiaHope (Slavic, girl)
- MilanGracious, dear; a short form of Slavic Mil- names (Slavic, unisex)
- MilaGracious, dear (Slavic, girl)
- MilenaGracious, dear (Slavic, girl)
- MiraPeace, from Slavic Mir- names; in Sanskrit, sea (Slavic, girl)
- VeraFaith, a Christian virtue (Slavic, girl)
- KalinaViburnum shrub (Slavic, girl)
- BogumiłaDear to God (Slavic, girl)
- BożenaDivine, of God (Slavic, girl)
- BronisławaProtection and glory (Slavic, girl)
Svetlana: common questions
What does the name Svetlana mean?
Svetlana comes from Slavic and means "light, luminous".
Is Svetlana a boy or girl name?
Svetlana is mainly a girl's name.
What are nicknames for Svetlana?
Common nicknames for Svetlana include Sveta.
How do you pronounce Svetlana?
In Russian, say svyet-LAH-nah. Pronunciation can vary between languages and regions.
How popular is the name Svetlana?
Svetlana ranked #6,520 in the US in 2025, with 18 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What middle names go with Svetlana?
Middle names that flow well with Svetlana include Aoife, Dawn, Fern, Honor and Hope. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.