Aliena is a female given name of Latin origin, derived from the Latin word 'alienus', which means foreign or stranger. This name gained popularity through its use in Geoffrey Chaucer's 14th-century poem "The Canterbury Tales," where it is the name of one of the characters, the wife of Sir John de Bakewell. The name Aliena has a unique and distinctive sound, making it an appealing choice for parents seeking a less common name for their daughter. It rolls off the tongue smoothly with its two syllabic sounds: 'a' as in apple and 'lee-na' with a soft 'n'. There are no specific spelling variations of this name, although some creative spellings could include Aleyna or Alyena. Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals named Aliena, including a 12th-century French queen named Alienor (also known as Eleanor), who was the wife of King Louis VII and later became the mother-in-law of King Henry II of England through her daughter Marie. In more recent times, Aliena has appeared as a character in various works of fiction, such as the novel "The Pillars of the Earth" by Ken Follett, further contributing to its recognition and familiarity. Overall, the name Aliena offers parents an elegant and uncommon option for their daughter's name, with roots in both literature and history.
"The name Aliena saw peaks in popularity around the late 1990s to early 2000s, with a high of 15 births in 2011. However, it has since declined, with only 5 births each in 2017, 2018, and 2021-2022."