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Svetlana female given name
Svetlana is a feminine given name of Russian origin, deriving from the Slavic word svet, meaning "light". Derived forms include Sveta, Svetlanka, Svetulya, Svetunya, Svetusya, Svetukha, Svetusha, Veta, Svetka, and Lana.
Article Svetlana (Cyrillic: Светлана) is a feminine given name of Russian origin, deriving from the Slavic word svet (Cyrillic: свет), meaning "light". Derived forms include Sveta, Svetlanka, Svetulya, Svetunya, Svetusya, Svetukha, Svetusha, Veta, Svetka, and Lana.
Particularly unique among similar common Russian names, this one is not of ancient Slavic origin but was coined by Alexander Vostokov in 1802 and popularized by Vasily Zhukovsky in his eponymous ballad "Svetlana", the latter first published in 1813. It was adopted as the vernacular equivalent to the Greek name Photini, which was borne by a saint who has been identified with the Samaritan woman mentioned at Jacob's well in the Bible (John 4).
The name is also popular in Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovakia, and Ukraine, with a number of occurrences in non-Slavic-speaking countries.
Semantically similar names to this are Lucia (of Latin origin, meaning "light"), Claire ("light" or "clear" in French, equivalent to Spanish and Portuguese Clara), Roxana (from Old Persian, "little shiny star, light"), and Shweta (Sanskrit, "white, pure").
Contents Variants The Ukrainian equivalent of the name is Svitlana (Світлана), the Belarusian is Sviatlana (Святлана), the Polish variant is Świetlana, and the Czech is Světlana. The Serbo-Croatian speaking area has three pronunciations: Ijekavian Svjetlana (Свјетлана), Ekavian Svetlana (Светлана) and Ikavian Svitlana (Свитлана) are used according to local customs.
Diminutives Russian-language diminutives and short forms include Sveta (Света), Svetlanka (Светланка), Svetulya (Светуля), Svetunya (Светуня), Svetusya (Светуся), Svetukha (Светуха), Svetusha (Светуша), Veta (Вета), Svetka (Светка), and Lana (Лана).
Sveta also means "saint" in Bulgarian. The Slavic element Svet means "blessed, holy, bright".
Serbian language diminutives of the name are Sveta (Света), and Ceca (Цеца, pronounced Tsetsa).
People Svetlana Abrosimova (born 1980), Russian professional basketball player
Svetlana Adyrkhaeva (1938–2023), Russian ballet dancer
Svetlana Agapitova (born 1964), Russian activist
Svetlana Alekseyeva (born 1970), Belarusian diver
Svetlana Alexievich (born 1948), Belarusian journalist, writer
Svetlana Alliluyeva (1926–2011), the youngest daughter of Joseph Stalin
Svetlana Alpers (born 1936), American art historian, professor, writer and critic
Svetlana Anastasovska (born 1961), Macedonian volleyball player
Svetlana Anikey (born 1977), Belarusian actress
Svetlana Anokhina, Russian human rights activist and journalist
Svetlana Antipova (born 1966), Russian basketball player
Svetlana Antonova (born 1979), Russian actress
Svetlana Antonovska (1952–2016), Macedonian statistician
Svetlana Babanina (born 1943), Soviet swimmer
Svetlana Babich (born 1947), Soviet-Russian javelin thrower
Svetlana Bachevanova, Bulgarian photographer
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Svetlana Badulina (born 1960), Soviet volleyball player
Svetlana Baitova (born 1972), Belarusian artistic gymnast
Svetlana Bakhmina (born 1969), Russian legal executive
Svetlana Baskova (born 1965), Russian film director, screenwriter and painter
Svetlana Bazhanova (born 1972), Soviet speed skater
Svetlana Beriosova (1932–1998), Lithuanian-British ballerina
Svetlana Berzina (1932–2012), Russian Egyptologist
Svetlana Bessarab (born 1970), Russian politician
Svetlana Bezrodnaya (born 1934), Russian conductor and music educator
Svetlana Biryukova (born 1991), Russian long jumper
Svetlana Bodritskaya (born 1971), Kazakhstani sprinter
Svetlana Bogdanova, several people
Svetlana Boginskaya (born 1973), Soviet Belarusian gymnast
Svetlana Bojković (born 1947), Serbian actress
Svetlana Boldykova (born 1982), Russian snowboarder
Svetlana Bolshakova (born 1984), Belgian triple jump athlete
Svetlana Bortnikova (born 1997), Kazakhstani footballer
Svetlana Boyko, several people
Svetlana Boym (1959–2015), Russian-American cultural theorist, artist, playwright and novelist
Svetla Bozhkova (or Svetlana) (born 1951), Bulgarian discus thrower
Svetlana Broz (1955–2025), Bosnian author and physician
Svetlana Bubnenkova (born 1973), Russian cyclist
Svetlana Bukareva (born 1981), Russian figure skater
Svjetlana Bukvich, American/Bosnian-Herzegovinian music composer/artist
Svetlana Buraga (born 1965), Belarusian heptathlete
Svetlana Buravova-Khapsalis (born 1973), Kazakhstani water polo player
Svetlana Burlak (born 1969), Russian linguist
Svetlana Căpățînă (1969–2022), Moldovan politician
Svetlana Cebotari (born 1969), Moldovan politician
Svetlana Cenkova (born 1966), Czech volleyball player
Svetlana Chepelnikova (born 1979), Belarusian speed skater
Svetlana Cherkasova (born 1978), Russian middle-distance runner
Svetlana Chernigovskaya (born 1994), Russian sprint canoeist
Svetlana Chimrova (born 1996), Russian swimmer
Svetlana Chmakova (born 1979), Russian-born comics artist
Svetlana Cvetko, American cinematographer and film director
Svetlana Dambinova (born 1949), Russian neuroscientist
Svetlana Demidenko (born 1976), Russian athletics competitor
Svetlana Demina (born 1961), Russian sport shooter
Svetlana Deshevykh (born 1970), Kazakhstani cross-country skier
Svetlana Druzhinina (born 1935), Soviet and Russian actress, film director, screenwriter and film producer
Svetlana Đurković, Croatian-born anthropoligist and LGBT activist
Svetlana Efremova (born 1970), Soviet-born American actress
Svetlana Ershova (born 1994), Russian weightlifter
Svetlana Fedorenko (1972–2009), Russian aviator
Svetlana Fedotkina (born 1967), Russian speed skater
Svetlana Feofanova (born 1980), Russian pole vaulter
Svetlana Filippova (born 1990), Russian diver
Svetlana Frantsuzova (1963–2022), Soviet figure skater
Svetlana Galante (born 1973), Russian judoka and a sambo practitioner
Svetlana Ganina (born 1978), Russian table tennis player
Svetlana Gannushkina (born 1942), Russian human rights activist
Svetlana Geier (1923–2010), Russian-German translator
Svetlana Gerasimenko (1945–2025), Soviet and Tajikistani astronomer
Svetlana Gerasimova (born 1951), Uzbek Soviet teacher
Svetlana Gincheva (born 1956), Bulgarian rower
Svetlana Gladysheva (born 1971), Russian alpine skier
Svetlana Gnezdilov (born 1969), Ukrainian-born Israeli retired athlete
Svetlana Golendova (born 1993), Kazakhstani sprinter
Svetlana Gomboeva (born 1998), Russian archer
Svetlana Goncharenko (born 1971), Russian sprinter
Svetlana Gorokhovich, Russian pianist
Svetlana Gorshenina, Uzbekistani historian of Central Asia
Svetlana Goryacheva (born 1947), Russian stateswoman and political figure
Svetlana Goundarenko (born 1969), Russian judoka and mixed martial arts fighter
Svetlana Gounkina (born 1980), Russian golfer
Svetlana Grankovskaya (born 1976), Russian cyclist
Svetlana Grinberg (born 1944), Soviet table tennis player
Svetlana Gromenkova, Russian poker player
Svetlana Gusarova (born 1959), Kazakhstani track and field hurdler
Svetlana Guskova (born 1957), Moldovan runner
Svetlana Haustova (born 1968), Russian ski-orienteering competitor
Svetlana Igumenova (born 1988), Russian taekwondo practitioner
Svetlana Inamova (born 1951), Uzbekistani politician
Svetlana Isakova (alpine skier) (born 1952), Soviet alpine skier
Svetlana Isakova (swimmer) (born 1969), Latvian swimmer
Svetlana Ischenko (born 1969), Ukrainian poet
Svetlana Ishkova (born 1978), Argentine diver
Svetlana Ishmouratova (born 1972), Russian biathlete and soldier
Svetlana Issakova (born 1993), Estonian figure skater
Svetlana Ivanova (born 1985), Russian actress
Světlana Janáčková (born 1967), Czech volleyball player
Svetlana Jaqypova (born 1968), Kazakhstani politician
Svetlana Jitomirskaya (born 1966), American mathematician
Svetlana Kalinkina (born 1970), Belarusian journalist
Svetlana Kamotskaya (born 1964), Belarusian cross-country skier
Svetlana Kapanina (born 1968), Russian aerobatic pilot
Svetlana Karamasheva (born 1988), Russian middle-distance runner
Svetlana Karpeeva (born 1985), Russian swimmer
Svetlana Kasyan (born 1984), Russian-Kurdish operatic soprano
Svetlana Katok (born 1947), Russian-American mathematician
Svetlana Kaykan (born 1978), Russian speed skater
Svetlana Kazanina (born 1971), Kazakhstani heptathlete
Svetlana Khabirova (born 1978), Russian weightlifter
Svetlana Kharitonova (1932–2012), Russian actress
Svetlana Khodchenkova (born 1983), Russian actress
Svetlana Khokhlova (born 1971), Kazakhstani rugby player
Svetlana Kholomina (born 1997), Russian beach volleyball player
Svetlana Khorkina (born 1979), Russian gymnast
Svetlana Kirdina (born 1955), Russian sociologist
Svetlana Kiseliova (born 1971), Ukrainian equestrian
Svetlana Kitić (born 1960), Bosnian retired professional handball player
Svetlana Kitova (1960–2015), Soviet middle-distance runner
Svetlana Klyuchnikova (born 1984), Kazakhstani rugby union player
Svetlana Klyuka (born 1978), Russian middle-distance runner
Svetlana Klyukina (born 1989), Russian artistic gymnast
Svetlana Knyazeva (born 1970), Russian equestrian
Svetlana Kolesnichenko (born 1993), Russian synchronized swimmer
Svetlana Konovalova (born 1990), Russian cross-country skier and biathlete
Svetlana Kopystiansky, American-Russian visual artist
Svetlana Kormilitsyna (born 1984), Russian fencer
Svetlana Koroleva, several people
Svetlana Koroleva-Babich (born 1947), Soviet javelin thrower
Svetlana Korytova (born 1968), Russian volleyball player
Svetlana Kotochigova, Soviet and American physicist
Svetlana Kozić (born 1978), Serbian politician
Svetlana Krachevskaya (born 1944), Soviet Olympic silver medalist in shot put
Svetlana Krivelyova (born 1969), Russian shot putter
Svetlana Krivencheva (born 1973), Bulgarian tennis player
Svetlana Krivenok (born 1998), Russian Paralympic athlete
Svetlana Krivonogikh (born 1975), Russian former cleaning woman and millionaire
Svetlana Kryuchkova, several people
Svetlana Kulikova (born 1980), Russian ice dancer
Svetlana Kuritsyna (born 1992), Russian journalist
Svetlana Kuzina (born 1975), Russian water polo player
Svetlana Kuzmina (born 1969), Russian swimmer
Svetlana Kuznetsova, several people
Svetlana Lapina (born 1978), Russian high jumper
Svetlana Laukhova (1973–2023), Russian hurdler
Svetlana Lavochkina, Ukrainian writer
Svetlana Lazebnik, Ukrainian-American researcher
Svetlana Leseva (born 1967), Bulgarian high jumper
Svetlana Leshukova (born 1974), Russian swimmer
Svetlana Liapina (born 1967), Soviet ice dancer and skating coach
Svetlana Lipatova (born 1993), Russian wrestler
Svetlana Loboda (born 1982), Ukrainian singer
Svetlana Louzanova (born 1977), Belarusian rhythmic gymnast
Svetlana Lukasheva (born 1977), Kazakhstani middle-distance runner
Svetlana Lukić (born 1958), Serbian journalist
Svetlana Lunina, Soviet archaeologist
Svetlana Lunkina (born 1979), Russian ballet dancer
Svetlana Lyubetskaya (born 1971), Belarusian politician
Svetlana Makarovič (born 1939), Slovenian writer, actress, illustrator and chanteuse
Svetlana Malahova-Shishkina (born 1977), Kazakhstani cross-country skier
Svetlana Maltseva (born 1970), Kazakhstani ice hockey player
Svetlana Masterkova (born 1968), Russian middle-distance runner
Svetlana Matić (born 1966), Serbian writer
Svetlana Matveeva (born 1969), Russian chess player
Svitlana Maziy (born 1968), Ukrainian rower
Svetlana Medvedeva (born 1965), wife of Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev
Svetlana Medvedeva (sport shooter) (born 1992), Russian sport shooter
Svetlana Melnikova (born 1951), Soviet discus thrower and shotputter
Svetlana Metkina (born 1974), Russian actress
Svetlana Mičić (born 1960), Croatian handball player
Svetlana Milijić, Serbian politician
Svetlana Mircheva (born 1976), Bulgarian artist
Svetlana Mironova (born 1986), Russian orienteering competitor
Svetlana Mironova (biathlete) (born 1994), Russian biathlete
Svetlana Mironyuk (born 1968), Russian manager and media executive
Svetlana Mojsov, Macedonian American chemist
Svetlana Morgunova (1940–2024), Russian announcer for Soviet Central Television
Svetlana Moshkovich (born 1983), Russian-Austrian cyclist
Svetlana Moskalets (born 1969), Russian heptathlete
Svetlana Mugoša-Antić (born 1964), Yugoslavian handball player
Svetlana Munkova (born 1965), Uzbekistani high jumper
Svetlana Myartseva, researcher and entomologist
Svetlana Nageykina (born 1965), Soviet/Russian cross-country skier
Svetlana Navasardyan (born 1946), Armenian pianist
Svetlana Nekhorosh (born 1973), Ukrainian runner
Svetlana Nemolyaeva (born 1937), Soviet and Russian actress
Svetlana Nesterova, Russian composer
Svetlana Nikishina (born 1958), Soviet volleyball player
Svetlana Nikolaeva (born 1984), Russian pair skater
Svetlana Nikolić Pavlović, Serbian doctor and politician
Svetlana Novak, Paris-based film producer
Svetlana Novikova (born 1974), Russian alpine skier
Svetlana Ognjenović (born 1981), Serbian handball player
Svetlana Orlova, several people
Svetlana Ortiqova (born 1962), Uzbek lawyer and politician
Svetlana Osipova (born 2000), Uzbekistani taekwondo athlete
Svetlana Pachshenko (born 2000), Kazakhstani cyclist
Svetlana Pakhomova (born 1965), Russian wheelchair curler
Svetlana Pankratova (born 1971), world record-holder for longest female legs
Svetlana Paramygina (born 1965), Soviet Belarusian biathlete
Svetlana Parkhomenko (born 1962), Soviet-Russian tennis player and tennis coach
Svetlana Pasti, Russian-Finnish media researcher
Svetlana Penkina (1951–2016), Soviet actress
Svetlana Pessova (born 1981), Turkmenistani high jumper
Svetlana Petcherskaia (born 1968), Russian biathlete
Svetlana Petko (born 1970), Russian footballer
Svetlana Petrenko (born 1974), Moldovan chess player
Svetlana Petriychuk (born 1980), Russian theater director
Svetlana Pletneva (1926–2008), Russian archeologist and historian
Svetlana Podobedova (born 1986), Russian-born Kazakhstani weightlifter
Svetlana Polovinka (born 1977), Ukrainian volleyball player
Svetlana Ponomarenko (born 1969), Russian long-distance runner
Svetlana Popa, Moldovan politician
Svetlana Pospelova (born 1979), Russian sprinter
Svetlana Prokopyeva (born 1979), Russian journalist
Svetlana Prudnikova (born 1967), Russian-Serbian chess player
Svetlana Pryakhina (born 1970), Russian handball player
Svetlana Kana Radević (1937–2000), Yugoslav and Montenegrin architect
Svetlana Radkevich (born 1979), Belarusian speed skater
Svetlana Radzivil (born 1987), Uzbekistani high jumper
Svetlana Ražnatović (born 1973), Serbian pop-folk singer from Serbia
Svetlana Razvorotneva (born 1968), Russian politician
Svetlana Reingold, Israeli musicologist and curator
Svetlana Rimsky-Korsakoff, Chinese-born Russian scholar
Svetlana Romashina (born 1989), Russian synchronized swimmer
Svetlana Roudenko, Russian-American mathematician
Svetlana Rozhkova (born 1965), Russian actress and humorist
Svetlana Rudalova (born 1984), Belarusian rhythmic gymnast
Svetlana Rusu (born 1972), Moldovan politician
Svetlana Saenko (born 1982), Moldovan wrestler
Svetlana Samokhvalova (born 1972), Russian cyclist
Svetlana Savchenko (born 1965), Russian and former Ukrainian politician
Svetlana Savitskaya (born 1948), Soviet cosmonaut
Svetlana Saykina (born 1985), Russian discus thrower
Svetlana Selerneva (born 1964), Azerbaijani volleyball player
Svetlana Selezneva (born 1969), Russian mathematician
Svetlana Semyonova (born 1958), Russian rower
Svetlana Șepelev-Tcaci (born 1969), Moldovan long-distance runner
Svetlana Sergeeva (born 1986), Russian Paralympic athlete
Svetlana Serkeli, Soviet ice dancer
Svetlana Shcherbakova (born 1998), Russian weightlifter
Svetlana Sheveleva (born 1997), Russian fencer
Svetlana Shikshina (born 1980), Russian Go player
Svetlana Shimkova (born 1983), Russian weightlifter
Svetlana Shkolina (born 1986), Russian high jumper
Svetlana Shnitko (born 1987), Russian sports sailor
Svetlana Slapšak (born 1948), Slovenian anthropologist and historian
Svetlana Sleptsova (born 1986), Russian biathlete
Svetlana Smirnova, several people
Svetlana Smolina, Russian concert pianist
Svetlana Sokolova (born 1981), Russian heptathlete
Svetlana Sokolovskaya (born 1965), Russian figure skating coach
Svetlana Soluianova (born 1994), Russian boxer
Svetlana Sorokina (born 1957), Russian journalist
Svetlana Soulim (born 1974), Ukrainian volleyball player
Svetlana Sourtseva (born 1984), Russian volleyball player
Svetlana Spajić (born 1971), Serbian singer, performer, pedagogue, activist, and translator
Svetlana Staneva (born 1990), Bulgarian boxer
Svetlana Stević Vukosavljević (born 1948), Serbian singer
Svetlana Stupina (born 2001), Kazakhstani footballer
Svetlana Sukhishvili, polymer scientist
Svetlana Surganova (born 1968), Russian rock musician, singer and poet
Svetlana Svetlichnaya (1940–2024), Russian actress
Svetlana Svirko (born 1969), Soviet and Russian actress
Svetlana Tarasevich (born 1979), Belarusian gymnast
Svetlana Tatunts, Armenian-born Russian researcher
Svetlana Tchernousova (born 1970), Russian biathlete
Svetlana Telbukh, Ukrainian performance artist
Svetlana Terentieva (born 1983), Russian ice hockey forward
Svetlana Tkacheva (born 1984), Russian ice hockey player
Svetlana Todorova (born 1974), Bulgarian gymnast
Svetlana Tolstaya (born 1971), Kazakhstani racewalker
Svetlana Toma (born 1947), Soviet actress
Svetlana Trefilova (born 1973), Russian ice hockey player
Svetlana Trunova (born 1983), Russian skeleton racer
Svetlana Tsarukaeva (born 1987), Russian weightlifter
Svetlana Tširkova-Lozovaja (born 1945), Soviet fencer and coach
Svetlana Tsydikova (born 1985), Russian footballer
Svetlana Tsys, German model and beauty pageant titleholder
Svetlana Tynkova (born 1993), Kyrgyzstani footballer
Svetlana Ulmasova (1953–2009), Soviet long-distance runner
Svetlana Ulyanova (born 1979), Russian weightlifter
Svetlana Ussova (born 1999), Kazakhstani canoeist
Svetlana Ustinova (born 1982), Russian actress
Svetlana Uvarova (born 1964), Ukrainian psychoanalyst
Svetlana Vakula (born 1977), Belarusian sprint canoer
Svetlana Vanyo (born 1977), Russian swimmer
Svetlana Varganova (born 1964), Russian swimmer
Svetlana Vasilenko (born 1956), Russian writer
Svetlana Vasilyeva (born 1992), Russian racewalker
Svetlana Vasina (born 1971), Kazakhstani ice hockey player
Svetlana Velmar-Janković (1933–2014), Serbian novelist and essayist
Svetlana Vinogradova (born 1987), Russian snowboarder
Svetlana Vukajlović, Serbian lawyer
Svetlana Vysokova (born 1972), Russian speed skater
Svetlana Yanushkevich, Belarusian-Canadian electrical engineer
Svetlana Zaginaichenko (1957–2015), Ukrainian solid state physicist
Svetlana Zainetdinova (born 1962), Soviet-Estonian chess player and coach
Svetlana Zakharova, several people
Svetlana Zalevskaya (born 1974), Kazakhstani high jumper
Svetlana Zelenkovskaya (born 1977), Belarusian actress
Svetlana Zhidko (born 1980), Belarusian swimmer
Svetlana Zhiltsova (1936–2026), Soviet television presenter
Svetlana Zhurova (born 1972), Russian speed skater
Svetlana Zilberman (born 1958), Israeli badminton player and coach
Svetlana Žuchová (born 1976), Slovak writer and translator
Svetlana Zylin (1948–2002), Belgian-born Canadian theatre director and playwright