Alina
/a.ˈli.na/
Alina has multiple convergent etymologies. The most cited is the Slavic and Germanic short form of names beginning with Adel-, from the Old High German adal meaning “noble,” making it cognate with Adeline and Adela.
A second source is the Arabic ʻAliyyā, feminine of ʻAlī, meaning “exalted” or “noble,” widely used across the Islamic world.
A third tradition links it to the Greek aletheia meaning “truth,” and a fourth connects it to the Celtic álainn meaning “bright” or “notable.”
What the name Alina means
The earliest documented bearers appear in medieval Polish and Russian records from the 13th century. Alina of Pomerania (born 1204) was a duchess of the Piast dynasty.
The name spread westward through royal intermarriage and eastward through Orthodox Christian usage. It also appears in the legendary cycle of Welsh literature as the name of a daughter of King Pasgen.
The name has a notable place in literature. Bolesław Leśmian, the Polish symbolist poet, used it in his 1920 poetry. Carl Maria von Weber’s 1825 opera Oberon features the character Alina.
In Romanian folklore, Alina is a popular figure in lyrical ballads. The Polish film Cold War (2018) by Paweł Pawlikowski, though featuring a different lead name, drew renewed attention to the Slavic naming tradition.
Alina is currently a top 50 name in Germany, Romania, Poland, and Russia. In the United States it entered the SSA top 1000 in 1995 and has climbed steadily, reaching the top 150 by the 2020s.
Its appeal lies in its phonetic simplicity and its near-universal pronounceability across languages.
Notable bearers include Romanian gymnast Alina Maier, Russian gymnast Alina Kabaeva, and German actress Alina Levshin. The name’s cross-cultural neutrality makes it one of the most international choices in the contemporary repertoire.
US popularity over time
Numerology and symbolism
Based on Pythagorean numerology — a traditional system linking name letters to numbers. Presented for cultural interest.
Famous people named Alina
Alina - similar names
Not seeing what you want? Browse all names by origin or popularity