ondina

Ondina is a feminine given name used in Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking regions and, more broadly, a term found in Romance-language folklore. The name is linked to water imagery and is cognate with related terms such as Undine in Germanic myth and Ondine in French storytelling.

In Iberian and Latin American folklore, an ondina is a water spirit or mermaid-like being associated with rivers, lakes, and springs. Depending on the tradition, an ondina may be benevolent, offering blessings or protection to those who honor water, or mischievous, luring travelers and demanding favors. Tales often connect ondinas with the health and fertility of freshwater sources and with natural cycles.

In literature, film, and theater, Ondina has been used as a character name or title for works involving mermaid- or water-spirit figures. The use of the name reflects its mythic echoes and its melodic, oceanic associations, and it appears in adaptations or translations of undine-inspired stories in Romance-language contexts.

As a personal name, Ondina gained usage in Spain and Portugal in the 20th century and is found in various Latin American communities. It is chosen for its evocative sound and its associations with water, nature, and myth.

See also: Undine; Ondine; mermaid; water spirit.