Message: "The name Malina" - Behind the Name

[Facts] The name Malina

by Paul (guest)

8/26/2005, 3:39 AM

We are expecting our baby daughter to arrive about mid September. Because of my Scottish roots I am thinking about naming my daughter Malina. However, I need definite proof that Malina is a Scottish name. I have read on websites that it is the short form of Malcolmina (a feminine form of Malcolm). Can anyone provide me with any definite proof regarding the origin of Malina?

#Malina

Replies

- raindancing +3

8/26/2005, 3:29 PM

It seems to be a name with many origins sorry I can not find anything about its scotish connections

I found this but can not testify to how authentic the information is
http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/mythology/malina_sun.html

A childs smile is worth more to me than Gold

This message was edited 8/26/2005, 3:36 PM

- Keti (guest) +1

8/31/2005, 2:12 PM

I dont quite think its only a scottish name..its also used in Serbia and in Serbian it means Raspberry.

- Paul (guest)

9/1/2005, 2:30 AM

Thank you - I didn't know that it was also a name in Serbian. I live in Poland and it also is a name, and it also means raspberry.

Do you know for a fact that Malina has a Scottish origin? - I still haven't established whether or not this is true.

Many thanks again,

Paul

- Paul (guest)

8/27/2005, 1:08 AM

Thank you so much for that! :) You have just made me even more fond of the name. I am truly grateful - it is so nice that people are doing their best to be helpful. The more information I find, the more I think Malina is a very interesting name with hidden depths. I have discovered Hawaiian, Hindi, Hewbrew, Yiddish, Polish, possibly Scottish and now Inuit origins (or at least an Inuit link).

I now have a possibly interesting question. I wonder which name has the most number of independent origins?

- Magia +1

8/26/2005, 10:23 AM

Have you searched a recent Scottish name list? Most European countries keep an up-dated list of most popular names, so it shouldn't be too much trouble to find one, on line. Simply google it.

I found this. I'm not responsible for the content of it being trustworthy, however...
http://www.houseofnames.com/xq/asp.c/qx/malin-coat-arms.htm

All any of us can do is try and help. Using a rather demanding tone won't do you any good.

Edited to add the link
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Common sense happens to be the least common of all senses

This message was edited 8/26/2005, 10:49 AM

- Paul (guest)

8/26/2005, 12:50 PM

Thank you so much for the advice. I really do appreciate all the very kind help - so sorry for the tone, but I do not mean it. I get the feeling I am running around in circles and not getting to the stage where I or somebody gets the information in black and white.

I am amazed that there are so many helpful, kind people out there. So, a big thank you!

- blackapple +2

8/26/2005, 8:57 AM

I know maol=follower, in Scottish (ie Malcolm=servant of Colm)That said, I would assume Malina, if coming from maol=servant, servant, follower, to be a servant of St. Ian (John.)

- Paul (guest)

8/27/2005, 1:36 AM

I have been thinking a bit more about your thoughts - very interesting :) I think Malina is a pet form of Malcolmina, which is a female form of Malcolm. Therefore, I would be looking for the female servant of Colm (ie Saint Columba).

Thank you for you help once again. :)

- Paul (guest)

8/26/2005, 10:06 AM

Thank you for this information. However, I really would like more information about the link between Malina and Malcolm, and hence follower/disciple of Saint Columba.

- Miss Claire +4

8/26/2005, 8:28 AM

Malina / Malinka is a pet form of Malka and Amalia in Yiddish.

~~ Claire ~~

My ! are Alia, Eidel, Enola, Israel, Dudel, Yuri, Lina, Lorelei, Leilani, Owen, Julian, Glorinda, Mirinda
My ? are Hillel, Meshullam, Johnny, Ginny, Cordelia, Fiammetta, Yocheved
My ~ are Tehila, Tilda, Hailey, Gillian, Huldah
My / are Aglaia and July

- Paul (guest) +3

8/26/2005, 1:01 PM

Thank you so much for your interest and all your help. Your information has made Malina an even more attractive name to me. The more I find about the name the more it interests me. I really do like its international diversity - something that is badly needed in a world where more than a few people are intent on blowing each other up. Here's what I know about the name:

1. In Hawaiian it means calm, soothing, peaceful.

2. In Hindi it means dark.

3. In hewbrew it means from the tower.

4. In Polish it means raspberry (but it is a proper girls name).

5. In Scottish I have read on the net that it is a female version of Malcolm (meaning a disciple of Saint Columba. It is associated with a dove (peace)). But I need proof of this. I particularly like the dove association here.

Again, many thanks for all your help.

- Miss Claire +2

8/26/2005, 2:02 PM

You're welcome! By the way, how did you got "from the tower" in Hebrew with Malina? I checked my Hebrew names book and the closest I found were:
Malbina, "clear, clearing"
Mali "what for me?"
Alina "supreme"

You could also check Malin & Melina.

~~ Claire ~~

This message was edited 8/26/2005, 2:06 PM

- Paul (guest) +1

8/26/2005, 3:02 PM

Malina is listed on many websites as coming from Hebrew (from tower, or elevated). I think it derives from Magdalen.

- Miss Claire

8/26/2005, 3:35 PM

I see! Malina comes from Magdalen, which comes from Latin Magdalena meaning "from Magdala", and Magdala is a place in Israel coming from "migdal", "tower". But Malina itself has no meaning in Hebrew :) There is a female name meaning "tower", though: Migdala.

~~ Claire ~~

- Sophia (guest) +9

8/26/2005, 6:58 AM

Malina means raspberry in Croatian.

- Paul (guest) +8

8/26/2005, 7:44 AM

It also means raspberry in Polish. In fact, this is one of the reasons why I am thinking of choosing this name - my daughter will be half Polish (Malina is also a girls name in Polish).

- Ivayla +7

8/26/2005, 8:57 AM

FYI...

The Pole on the board claims Malina is not used as a name in Poland:
http://behindthename.com/bb/arcview.php?id=285067&board=gen

~ Ivayla

I am an angel, honest! The horns are there just to keep the halo straight...

- Paul (guest) +6

8/26/2005, 10:04 AM

I live in Poland. My wife is Polish. The other day my wife made me sit through a Polish sitcom in which the main Polish female character was called Malina!!!!!!!!!! Malina even has a nameday in Poland!!!!!!

- Ivayla +5

8/26/2005, 10:45 AM

OK, please lay off the cafeine. It's not doing you much good. I was just letting you know about the opinion of other Polish people.

~ Ivayla

I am an angel, honest! The horns are there just to keep the halo straight...

- Paul (guest) +4

8/26/2005, 12:54 PM

First, I just want to say that I am very very grateful for all your help!!! I am amazed there are so many kind, helpful people out there who are willing to help. Much appreciated. It's just that I was more than a little surprised by the comments of other Polish people.

By the way, I don't drink coffee - just good Polish beer :)

- ADT +3

8/26/2005, 7:42 PM

How about Truskawka then? Hmm...

- Paul (guest) +2

8/27/2005, 12:58 AM

Well, as you know it means strawberry. But it is not a name in Polish. It would be very strange for anyone in Poland to have this name, but raspberry is OK because it is accepted as a proper name. I suppose we could take an analogy in English. Daisy is a female name, but Buttercup is not.

Names are becoming more fascinating to me :) Especially the elusive Scottish origin of Malina. It is listed as being Scottish on the Behind The Name website, but can I trust it 100% without getting information regarding the source of this information?

- তন্ময় ভট (guest) +1

8/27/2005, 5:30 AM

The answer to the last question should be no ... BtN is definitely very very good, but nothing is infallible. Unfortunately, I cannot help you with the Scottish origins of this name.

So, let me rescue this post of mine from meaningless off-topicness by provididing a pointless bit of on-topic information: your Hindi informant was indeed correct. In Sanskrit, related to a root meaning to fade away or become feeble, malinA means dirty, soiled, tarnished, etc. either literally or figuratively. It also meant `dirty coloured' i.e. gray etc., whence the name possibly arose.

I personally know a malinA from Bengal, born probably in early-to-mid 20th century. The name is definitely not very common today.

- Paul (guest)

8/28/2005, 12:15 AM

Thank you so much for your help :) I agree that it is best to try to verify sources somehow (afterall, a person's name is important). Very interesting information on Sanskrit usage of Malina - I am very grateful. This makes me even more fascinated by the name. It really is related to many diverse cultures.

Many thanks,

Paul

- ltbugaf (guest) +3

8/26/2005, 6:54 AM

Not trying to be uselessly argumentative, but why do you "need definite proof" of the name's Scottishness? If you like the name and believ it will suit a daughter well throughout her life, you should feel free to use it. If you just want to use it so you can brag to everyone you meet "It's Scottish!" then I suppose you need proof but that's generally not the purpose of a name.

- Paul (guest) +2

8/26/2005, 7:42 AM

Bragging could not be further from my mind. Lets go a little further into the reasoning behind my interest in the name Malina. My daughter will be half Polish and Malina is a female Polish name. She will also be quarter Scottish, and therefore I thought the name Malina would represent this mix. She will also be quarter English, and I know Malina is used in the English speaking world (probably mostly because of its Hewbrew origin). Apart from all this, I quite like the name.

So, back to my original question: Does Malina have a Scottish origin?

- Agny +1

8/27/2005, 6:07 PM

Very tasty name for sure... Mmmm... Malinka, sweet, wild and plesant. Good choice! Na zdrowie / Agny

- Paul (guest)

8/28/2005, 12:08 AM

Thank you very much for your thoughts on this - I really appreciate it :) I think names are important and I am interested in the associations you have with this name. I think you must be Polish to have such associtions? To be honest, I cannot "feel" the name in Polish, so I cannot say if seems strange, silly, nice, pleasant etc. So, from your associations I trust it is OK. I have had a few reservations about this name as I thought it might be strange for a girl to be called "raspberry".

Na zdrowie

Paul

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