Fun Facts About the Name Undine
- 95 babies named Undine: U.S. records list 95 babies given the name Undine from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Undine Mean?
Undine is generally explained as a name of Latin origin meaning "little wave." It is formed from Latin unda, "a wave," plus the diminutive ending -ina, giving the Latin form Undina. The German form Undine was used by the physician and alchemist Paracelsus for the water spirits among his four classes of elemental beings, the others being earth gnomes, air sylphs, and fire salamanders. His form of the word is recorded variously as Undina, Unden, or Undinae. The literal sense "little wave" is the etymology; later writers who treated Undine as a poetic spirit of the waters were building on that image rather than adding a separate root meaning. The French equivalent of the name is Ondine.
Undine Name History & Origins
Latin unda ("wave") belongs to an old Indo-European word group for water that also stands behind English water and Greek hydōr. The diminutive form undina is the direct ancestor of the name. Paracelsus (1493 - 1541) used a form of this word for water elementals in his writings on nature spirits; the treatise De Nymphis, Sylphis, Pygmaeis et Salamandris was printed after his death in 1566.
The name became widely known through the German writer Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué, whose novella Undine appeared in 1811. It tells of a water spirit who marries a knight in order to gain a human soul. The story was translated into many languages, and E. T. A. Hoffmann based an opera, Undine, on it in 1816. From this literary circulation the name entered use as a given name in German-speaking Europe and, in the French form Ondine, in France; it also appears occasionally in English-speaking countries. The name is distinct from, though sometimes confused with, other water-spirit names such as Melusine and Lorelei.
How Popular is the Name Undine?
Undine has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 1924. Its best rank was #2,131 in 1912.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1935 | #4,167 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1928 | #3,722 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1927 | #4,250 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1925 | #5,706 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1924 | #3,362 | 10 | 0.0008% |
| 1923 | #4,923 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1922 | #4,401 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1919 | #3,431 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1918 | #3,496 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1917 | #5,258 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1916 | #3,524 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1915 | #4,228 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1912 | #2,131 | 9 | 0.0016% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Most Popular Girl Names That Start with U
How the Name Undine Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You have talent, charm and luck. You can succeed in art and in any educational occupation. You attract peculiar experiences. Your power and protection lies in spiritual side of life. You are an enthusiastic collector and you will be tenacious in holding onto the things you accumulate. You have a good memory and should make an effort to have a positive attitude. Emergencies may raise your intuitive abilities in order to resolve conflict or situation. You become very creative under the pressure, and have quite original ideas to make the best out of it.
Dependable, very down-to-earth and well grounded, you are always looking for meaningful work, a career where you can take pride in your work and do the best job you are capable of. Your prime desire is to build protected and secure environment at home and at work. You can be very persuasive in achieving goals and gaining objectives. You can be very detailed and well-organized and possess great organizational skills. At times you may appear too stubborn and overly critical to others, but your practical approach to life and productivity makes you one of the most beneficent members of community.
✦ Undine's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Undine's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.