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Alina

Girl name · 177 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Alina: 177 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to girls, peaking at 13 births in 2023.

Alina is a name with rich overlapping origins—most commonly seen as a variant of Helen, from the Greek *helene* meaning “light” or “torch,” but also rooted in the Slavic *al* (“bright, beautiful”) and the Arabic *Aliyah* (“exalted”). It has been carried by several notable figures, including Romanian ballet star Alina Cojocaru, Russian-British violinist Alina Ibragimova, and Olympic figure skater Alina Zagitova. While few places are named directly after bearers, the name shares its Hellenic root with Helena—found in towns and cities across the globe, from Montana to the Caribbean island of Saint Helena. A popular and melodic choice, Alina is sometimes treated as a Scottish variant of Aileen, though its spelling gives it a distinctly international feel that has made it steadily favoured in Scotland since the 1990s.