Light, shining, pure
Derived from the Slavic element 'svet', meaning 'light' or 'world'. It was popularized in the 19th century by Vasily Zhukovsky's poem 'Svetlana' and later became a common name in Russia and Eastern Europe.
About 18 girls were named Svetlana in 2025.
Daughter of Joseph Stalin and a naturalized American writer
Seven-time Olympic medalist in artistic gymnastics
Soviet cosmonaut and the first woman to walk in space
Nobel Prize-winning investigative journalist and prose writer
Two-time Grand Slam champion tennis player
Prima ballerina with the Bolshoi Ballet
US births per 5-year period, 1990–present (SSA data).
