How to say it
a · LAI · na
/əˈleɪ.nə/
Feminine
Alaina
Beautiful, harmony
What it means
Feminine of Alain (the French form of Alan), from the Celtic root with disputed meaning ('handsome,' 'harmony,' 'little rock'). The Old French alaine ('beautiful') also fed the name. Alaina Huffman the actress (Smallville's Black Canary) gives a modern reference.
Alaina is a feminine form of Alain (the French form of Alan), itself from a Celtic root with disputed meaning, candidates including 'handsome,' 'harmony,' 'noble,' or 'little rock.' The Old French alaine ('beautiful') is the alternate root often cited. The name arrived in English-speaking countries with the broader Alan family. As a US first name Alaina is modern; it entered the US top 200 in 2014. Alaina Huffman the actress (Smallville's Black Canary, Supernatural) and Lauren Alaina the country singer (American Idol runner-up 2011) give two contemporary references. Common short: Lainey or Lana.
Popularity over time
peaked at #156 in 2011, currently #224 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Spelling
Alaina (AI), Alayna (AY), and Alana (no I) are all related; Alaina is the most common US spelling for the AY-na pronunciation.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Lauren Alaina American country singer, American Idol runner-up 2011
Spelling variants
- Alayna
- Alana
- Elaina
Names with the same feeling
See Alaina from another angle
By meaning
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