Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “Svetlana” come from?

Svetlana is a Russian feminine name derived from Russian свет meaning "light," from Old East Slavic свѣтъ, Proto-Slavic světъ, and Proto-Indo-European ḱweytos or ḱwoytos.

Ancestry of “Svetlana”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Russianсветlight; day; radiance
2Old East Slavicсвѣтъworld; society
3Proto-Slavicsvětъlight; world
4Proto-Balto-Slavicśwaitas—
5Proto-Indo-Europeanḱweyt-to shine
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱweyt- →