Name of the Week

 

A modern Hebrew word name or an Ada variant 
with a literary and operatic pedigree to boot.

  

Origin:

1. A modern Hebrew name based on the adjective עדינה (adina) meaning "gentle, delicate, slender."  2. From the Germanic element adal "noble", most likely as a form of Ada or Adelina.

Usage:

Adina appears as a masculine name in the Old Testament -- borne by a soldier in 1 Chronicles 11:42. However, it should be noted that the Hebrew spelling for this name (עדינא) differs from the adjective (עדינה), though both are transliterated the same way into English. Adina gained usage as a "modern Hebrew name" among the wave of Hebrew vocabulary word-names that have become popular Jewish names in the last century.  Adina was used in operas by two Italian composers (Gioachino Rossini and Gaetano Donizetti) in the 19th century and its occasional usage in Britain, prior to 1874, is likely to be attributed to this. In 1874 Henry James published his story Adina which seems to have produced a small flurry of Adinas to be registered at that time, continuing through to the turn of the 20th century.  Rather than a borrowing from Hebrew vocabulary, it is more likely that the name was used as a variation of the Germanic Adal- names (Ada, Adelina etc), especially as there is evidence of use in Sweden in the 18th century*. However, some scholars argue that Henry James used the name as an anagram for Diana*. Adina is also found used popularly in Romania where, it is worth noting, Adelina is also used frequently.  In 2010 19 girls (rank #1520) were registered with the name in England and Wales.

Famous Bearers:

* Adina Mandlova (1910 - 1991) was a Czech actress.  * Adina Izarra (b.1959) is a Venezuelan musician and composer. * Adina Vălean (b. 1968) is a Romanian politician.  * Adina Anton (b.1984) is a Romanian long jumper.  Other: * Adina (1818) is a one-act opera written by Italian composer Gioachino Rossini which features Adina, a slave girl, as the protagonist. * Adina is one of the main characters in Gaetano Donizetti's opera L'elisir d'amour (1831).   * Adina (1874) is a story by Henry James in which appears the eponymous character Adina Waddington. In the narrative James notes that "Her pretty name of Adina seemed to me to have somehow a mystic fitness to her personality." * Adina is a genus of flowering plants. It was named by Richard Salisbury in 1807 from the Greek adinos "clustered."

Variants:

Adena

Pronunciation:

a-DEE-nə (UK) [key]

Diminutives:

Ada, Addy, Dina

Sibling Names:

Talia     Raina     Kezia     Sapphira     Leora     Shira  Noam     Joah     Zev      Ronen      Micah      Asher

Name Lists:

Quirky Biblical Names   Operatic Appellations

 

If you like Adina you may also like:   Aliza, Dalia, Adiva, Noa, Amira, Atara, Kelila, Elora, Mina, Aviva