Meaning & History
Korina is a modern Greek form of the name Corinna, which itself has deep classical roots. In Greek, the original name Korinna was derived from the word κόρη (kore), meaning "maiden" — a term also used in the ancient Greek world to refer to a young girl or daughter. This etymological connection ties Korina to notions of youth, purity, and femininity.
The name was famously borne by the Boeotian poet Korinna (also spelled Corinna), who lived approximately in the 5th century BC. She was a celebrated lyric poetess, often praised for her verses in the local Boeotian dialect and traditionally held to have defeated the more famous Pindar in a poetry competition — though this story may be apocryphal. Korinna's works, sadly, survive only in fragments, yet her legacy contributed to the name's literary currency.
In Roman times, the Latinized form Corinna was used by the poet Ovid for the central female character in his elegiac collection Amoris. During the Renaissance, interest in classical names revived Corinna for literary use; notably, the English poet Robert Herrick adopted it for his 17th-century poem Corinna's going a-Maying, which popularized the name across Europe. The modern Greek variant Korina (often written with a k) reflects the authentic Hellenic choice — maintaining the name's Greek phonology while distinguishing it from its long-standing Western European adaptations like Corinna, Corinne (French), or Coreen (English).
Korina also relates to the mythological name Cora — an alternative Latin form of Kore, title of the goddess Persephone, underscoring the enduring aura of maidenhood associated with the word. As a distinctly Greek pick within the broader Corinna family, Korina is contemporary yet carries subtle classical pedigree.
- Meaning: “maiden” or “young girl” via Greek kore
- Origin: Modern Greek transformation of ancient Greek name Korinna
- Type: Feminine personal name
- Usage Regions: Greece and Greek diaspora