How to say it
a · LAY · na
/əˈleɪ.nə/
Feminine
Alayna
Light; little rock
What it means
A variant of Alaina and Elaina, tied to Helen, 'light, torch,' or to a feminine of the Irish Alan.
Alayna is a spelling of Alaina, which traces back two ways. One runs through Helen and Elaine, from the Greek for 'torch' or 'bright light.' The other reads it as a feminine of Alan, an old Celtic name sometimes linked to 'little rock' or 'handsome.' Either way it lands soft and current, riding the same sound as Alana and Elena. Laney is a sweet short.
Popularity over time
peaked at #201 in 2012, currently #332 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
- Nickname
Laney and Lainey.
- Spelling
A spelling of Alaina; cousin to Alana and Elena.
Spelling variants
- Alaina
- Alaynah
- Elaina
Names with the same feeling
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