Winona

Winona comes from a Dakota or Lakota naming term meaning firstborn daughter. The birth-order meaning is central to its history, rather than a poetic description invented from the English spelling. Winona is also the name of a Minnesota city, which was the source of actress Winona Ryder's given name.

Winnie is a familiar shorter form, while Wenona, Wynona, and Wynonna show related spellings. Those versions can carry different personal and cultural associations even when they sound similar in English. A family choosing Winona may wish to understand the original birth-order tradition as well as any connection with the city, an ancestor, or a familiar bearer.