The given name Wintana has its origins in the ancient Germanic languages. Its earliest known form was Wintanaz, derived from the Proto-Germanic "wintru" meaning "winter" and the suffix "-az" indicating a person or thing. This suggests the name was likely given to children born during the winter months.

In the 5th century AD, the name appears in records of the Ostrogothic people, an East Germanic tribe that ruled parts of Italy after the fall of the Western Roman Empire. One of the earliest known bearers was Wintana, a noblewoman who lived in the late 5th century and married the Ostrogothic King Theodoric the Great.

The name continued to be used among Germanic peoples in the following centuries. In the 7th century, a Wintana is recorded as the wife of the Frankish nobleman Radulf. Another early bearer was the 9th century Saxon noblewoman Wintana of Westphalia.

During the Middle Ages, variants like Wintana and Wintanahildis appear in medieval charters and records from various parts of Europe, though the name remained relatively uncommon. One notable medieval Wintana was the 12th century Benedictine abbess of the Fraumünster Abbey in Zurich.

In the Renaissance period, the Italian humanist scholar Wintana Gaetani (1456-1518) bore this name, as did the 16th century German noblewoman Wintana von Mansfeld (1501-1569). Its use remained scattered across Germanic Europe into the early modern period.

Other historically documented individuals with this first name include the 18th century Austrian singer Wintana Müller (1712-1787), the 19th century Prussian composer Wintana Lachner (1836-1890), and the early 20th century Bavarian sculptor Wintana Auwera (1888-1958).

While relatively rare today, the name Wintana still holds significance as a traditional Germanic name with ancient linguistic roots tied to the winter season.