girl's name
Alaina
uh-LAY-nuh (English)
- Origin American
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 3
- Letters 6
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 53,341
the United States
#224
2025 births
Alaina descends from a name nobody can translate — the Breton Alan has been read as rock, handsome and deer, and none of the three has ever been established. It charts in all seven markets, which few names in this sweep manage.
- Alaina is a name of American origin.
- Peaked in 2011, when 1,999 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 2,427 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1946.
- 3 syllables, with the stress on syllable 2.
Alaina Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1940s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1940s | 24 |
| 1950s | 92 |
| 1960s | 415 |
| 1970s | 901 |
| 1980s | 4,410 |
| 1990s | 6,497 |
| 2000s | 12,350 |
| 2010s | 17,297 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 8,598 |
What Alaina Means
Alaina has no settled meaning. It is a feminine of Alan, whose Breton original resists derivation, so the readings offered for it are competing guesses.
Where Alaina Comes From
Alaina is a modern feminine of Alan, a Breton name of disputed origin — rock, handsome and little deer have all been argued and none has carried the field. Breton settlers brought Alan to England with the Conquest, and Alan Rufus, one of the Conqueror's commanders, became among the wealthiest men in English history. The -aina ending is American, part of the same pattern that produced Alayna and Elaina.
Alaina in Use
Alaina peaked in the United States in 2011, when 1,999 babies were registered, and it is stable rather than falling. It charts in all seven markets — 224th in the United States on 1,366 births, 415th in Canada, 483rd in Northern Ireland, 683rd in Ireland on 5, 759th in England and Wales on 49, 972nd in Scotland on 3 and 2,547th in France on 10 — across 53,341 lifetime births.
How Popular Is Alaina?
In 2025, Alaina was given to 1,366 babies in the United States, ranking #224 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in the United States.
Where Alaina Is Used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
How Alaina Is Spelled
Birth registers count each spelling separately, so every one has its own ranking.
| Spelling | What it is | Births on record |
|---|---|---|
| Alaïna | Alaïna is a rare spelling of Alaina, written with a diaeresis and recorded about 80 times, mostly in France. | 80 |
Names That Peaked Alongside Alaina
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Alaina Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Alaina over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
How to Say Alaina
- English uh-LAY-nuh /əˈleɪ.nə/
Alaina in Other Languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
- Polish
- Alana
Sibling Names for Alaina
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Alaina — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Alaina
What does the name Alaina mean?
Nothing settled. Alan has been read as rock, handsome and little deer.
Is Alan Breton?
Yes, and Breton settlers brought it to England with the Conquest.
Who was Alan Rufus?
A commander under the Conqueror, and among the wealthiest men in English history.
Where is Alaina used?
All seven markets, strongest in the United States at 224th.
How popular is the name Alaina?
In 2025, Alaina was given to 1,366 babies in the United States, ranking #224 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in the United States.
Is Alaina a girl's or a boy's name?
Alaina is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Alaina?
Alaina has 3 syllables.
When was Alaina most popular?
Alaina peaked in 2011, when 1,999 babies were given the name. Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
Is Alaina a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Alaina currently ranks #224 in the United States. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.