Snejana

Gender: Feminine

Origin: Slavic

Meaning: “Snowy.”

Pronunciation: (sney-ZHAH-nah)

Nicknames: Sne, Snea, Jana

Detail: Derived from the Slavic word snežan meaning “snowy”.

Variations:

• Snezana
• Snezhana
• Snjezana

Endzela

Gender: Feminine

Origin: Georgian

Meaning: “Snowdrop.”

Nicknames: Endi, Zela

Rudolf

Gender: Masculine

Origin: Germanic

Meaning: “Fame wolf.”

Pronunciation: (ROO-dawlf)

Nicknames: Rudo, Rulf, Rulfie, Rollo

Detail: From the Germanic name Hrodulf, which was derived from the elements hrod “fame” and wulf “wolf”.

Nashira

Gender: Feminine

Origin: Arabic

Meaning: “The bearer of good news.”

Pronunciation: (Nah-shee-rah)

Nicknames: Nash, Nashas, Shira, Nira

Detail: Nashira, also known as Gamma Capricorni, is a bright star in the constellation of Capricornus. Under the tropical zodiac, the Sun enters Capricorn by definition at the moment of winter solstice, or roughly at December 22, and leaves it around January 19. Symbol for Capricorn is a goat.

Nevada

Gender: Feminine

Origin: Spanish

Meaning: “Snowy, snow-covered.”

Pronunciation: (nuh-VA-duh); (neh-VAH-dah)

Nicknames: Neve, Neva, Vada

Detail: Although the name is derived from the Spanish word nevada “snowy, snow-covered”, the local pronunciation of the state’s name is not Spanish (neh-VAH-dah) but good ol’ American (nuh-VA-duh).

Onatah

Gender: Feminine

Origin: Iroquois

Meaning: “Daughter of the Earth and Corn Spirit.”

Pronunciation: (oh-NAH-tah)

Nicknames: Nat, Ona, Ota

Detail: In Iroquois mythology, Onatah is the corn goddess. She was the daughter of Eithinoha (Mother Earth).

Onatah was kidnapped by the ruler of the underworld. Her mother searched everywhere for her, to no avail. She grieved and while she grieved no crops grew. Finally, the sun found where she was, split open the ground and rescued her, and the earth flourished. However, the spirits of the underworld miss Onatah, and whenever the sun sleeps they snatch her back (winter), and then a great human effort in ceremonies and offerings are needed to awaken the sun and rescue her again (spring).

Neva

March Snow (1904) by Igor Grabar

Gender: Feminine

Origin: Latin; Old English; French

Meaning: “Snow, new, juniper tree.”

Pronunciation: (NEE-vah)

Nicknames: Neve

Detail: Neva is derived from the Latin word neve meaning “snow”.

A different derivation of Neva is from the Old English word neowe which means “new”

Another origin of Neva is from the Old French Geneva meaning “juniper tree”

Rozanica

Gender: Feminine

Origin: Slavic

Meaning: “Mother; heritage; destiny.”

Nicknames: Ro, Rose, Zani, Nica, Rozzy

Detail: A goddess of winter

Isolde

Sophia Myles

 

Gender: Feminine

Meaning: (Welsh) “Beautiful; fair lady.” Or (Germanic) “Ice princess.”

Pronunciation: (ih-ZOLD)

Origin: The origin of Isolde is somewhat disputed. It might derive from the Welsh word “esyllt,” meaning “beautiful”; it might also derive from the Germanic words for “ice” and “to rule.”

Detail: In Arthurian legend, this is the name a tragic princess who was the lover of Tristan.

Variations:

• Essylt (Old Irish)
• Esyllt (Welsh)
• Iseult (Old French)
• Ishild (Ancient Germanic)
• Isold (English)
• Isolda (English)
• Isolina (Italian)
• Isolt (English)
• Isolte (English)
• Isotta (Italian)
• Izolda (Polish)
• Yseult (Old French)
• Ysolt (Celtic)