Olga (name)

Olga
An icon of St. Olga
GenderFemale
Origin
Word/nameOld Norse
DerivationHelga
MeaningHoly; blessed
Other names
Variant formsOlha, Volha
Related namesOlja, Oleg

Olga (Russian: Ольга) is a Russian feminine given name of Scandinavian origin.[1] It is the equivalent of Helga, and derived from the Old Norse adjective heilagr (lit.'prosperous, successful').[1] The name was brought by Scandinavian settlers who founded Kievan Rus' in the 9th century.[1]

It is also used in Ukraine (Ольга, transliterated Olha), Belarus (Вольга, transliterated Vol'ha), Bulgaria (Олга transliterated Olga), the Czech Republic, Greece and Cyprus (Όλγα, Ólgha), Georgia (ოლგა (Olga) or more archaic ოლღა (Olgha)), Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Serbia, Bosnia (Serbian Олга or Оља), the Balkans, Western Europe and Latin America (Olga). It is also much in use in Scandinavia.

The masculine counterpart is Oleg (Олeг).

Royalty and nobility

Russian imperial family

Politicians

Actresses

Sportspeople

Handball players

Basketball players

Chess players

Cyclists

Footballers

Gymnasts

Tennis players

Runners

Racewalkers

Skiers

Skaters

Sprinters

Swimmers

Water polo players

Volleyball players

Other sportspeople

Artists

Sculptors

Painters

Writers

Poets

Journalists

Musicians

Composers

Singers

Scientists

Botanists

Mathematicians

Doctors

Dancers

Ballet dancers

Activists

Revolutionaries and separatists

Linguists

Educators

  • Olga Chupris (born 1969), Belarusian law professor and administrator
  • Olga Cossettini (1898–1987), Argentine teacher, educator and pedagogue
  • Olga Fierz (1900–1990), Swiss teacher and translator
  • Olga Fiorini (1927–2022), Italian businesswoman and educator
  • Olga Palagia (born 1949), Professor of Classical Archaeology
  • Olga Ross Hannon (1890–1947), American art professor and instructor

Other people

Fictional people

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Hanks, P.; Hodges, F.; Hardcastle, K. (2006). A Dictionary of First Names. The Oxford Reference Collection. OUP Oxford. p. 10. ISBN 978-0-19-157854-0. Russian name of Scandinavian origin, originally derived from the Old Norse adjective heilagr... It was imported by Scandinavian settlers who founded the first Russian state in the 9th century.