Alayna

Blending classic with contemporary elements, Alayna is considered a spin on the name Alana, which also draws inspiration from Elaine and Elena. An obscure choice until the 80s, it began to climb the charts after fencer Alayna Snell took part in the 1984 Olympics.

While Elaine means "shining light", Alana is a name with numerous meanings including "oak tree", "child" and "cheerful." As Alayna is inspired by both, it could share any of these meanings or blend them together, to make "cheerful shining light" or "bright, shining child".
For nearly 20 years, Alayna ranked in the US Top 300, peaking in 2012 at #202. As of 2024, however, it has fallen down the charts slightly, with Elena and Alana far outranking it and Elaine coming back into style.

Alayna is now more popular in the UK than it is in the US, and 2022 saw it jump nearly 100 places up the charts. Now almost as popular as Elena, it outranks Alana - and Elaine isn't even in the running.

With its phonetic spelling, familiar sounds, and nickname potential, Alayna is given to nearly 1000 babies every year. A sweet, solid choice in its own right it might also be appealing to anyone trying to honor an Elaine or an Alan.

Pronounced uh-lay-nuh .

As of October 2026, Alayna ranked #332 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #202 in 2012.