View Message

I think it has understated elegance. It’s one of probably 3 diminutives I like as a first name.
I think it will rise in popularity even more with the Netflix adaptation of the Grisha series.

It sounds airy and insubstantial. It's the name of a character in a famous Romantic Polish play who gets murdered by her sister over some raspberries.

I like it, though I’m slightly disturbed by how similar it is, in an English pronunciation, to Elina or Elena.

Starkov.

---

I just watched Shadow and Bone.

Although Alina sounds pretty on its own, it's one of those constantly misheard names. Maybe it's just me, but Elina, Alena, Aliana, Arina, Irina, Polina, Marina, Albina, Adelina, Lina, Eileen, Aileen give me headaches sometimes.

It's pretty. Very "liquid" too - I don't know if that's a genuine linguistic distinction or just a colloquial one, but I've heard "liquid" names described as names where you don't need to move your mouth / lips much to say them. Alina has vowels, an L, and an N; and I can say it while barely moving my lips. This means there are no harsh sounds, but also means it can easily be slurred together (this happens to me with Aurora all the time). These used to actually be among my favorite names (I remember the long crush I had on Liliana), but as the years have gone by I've been drawn further to names that aren't so blatantly pretty and... tender.

---

I also think I prefer Aline (ay-LEEN) to Alina.

I’ve liked this name since I was a little girl and was actually discussing it with my kids just yesterday! I had / have a Cabbage Patch doll from when I was younger and asked my daughter if she would like to play with her. She asked what her name is, (that’s the child of a name nerd right there folks! ;) and I told her, “Alina”. Then I explained that her name is actually Larina, but I couldn’t pronounce that as a kid and named her Alina instead, so that’s always been her name! It’s a very pretty name, to my ears anyway and I don’t know that I’ve ever met one irl. It would be so lovely to meet a little baby Alina or a small child Alina.

It's pretty, albeit a bit too airy for my liking. I prefer Aline.

This message was edited 6/3/2021, 6:28 PM

I think it's really pretty! I like it as a middle name too.

Of all the various spellings of this name, this is by far the prettiest!

dont like it

I always thought this name was pretty. Very much so.