Alcina

Alcina is the name of a literary figure, specifically a sorceress from the work 'Orlando Furioso' ('The Frenzied Roland'), written by the Italian humanist and author Ludovico Ariosto (1474-1533). This character later also found its way into a lyrical opera by Handel. The name is presumably associated with 'the strong mind'.

What does the name Alcina mean?

The name Alcina refers to a literary figure who appears as a sorceress in 'Orlando Furioso' ('The Frenzied Roland') by Ludovico Ariosto (1474-1533). Handel adapted this character for one of his lyrical operas. The presumed meaning of the name is 'the strong mind'. The exact origin of the name Alcina is not clearly defined. It is possible that Ariosto created the name himself, inspired by the names Alkyone, Alcide, or Alkinoos, or that it directly draws from the Ancient Greek terms alke (ἄλκη) for 'strength', 'protection', 'power', and 'bravery', as well as noos (νόος) for 'mind', 'thought', or 'spirit', from which the names Alcide and Alkinoos are also derived.

Where does the name Alcina come from?

The name Alcina has Ancient Greek roots and means 'the strong mind'. The components of the word consist of alke (ἀλκή), which means 'strength', 'bravery', 'power', or 'protection', and noos (νόος), which denotes 'mind', 'thought', or 'spirit'. Alcina can be found in the languages Greek, Italian, and Portuguese.

How do you pronounce Alcina?

The pronunciation of Alcina is three syllables and fluid. The name is typically pronounced as 'Al-ci-na' [alˈtsiːna], starting with an open 'a' sound. The middle syllable has a bright, slightly emphasized tone. The gentle '-na' at the end gives the name a harmonious sound. Alcina thus appears elegant, melodic, and has a slightly classical note – a name with clear structure, gentle dynamics, and stylish presence.

Popularity

In Germany, Alcina is a rather rare first name. In 2016, it ranked 4,471st on the list of the most common female first names. In the last ten years, the name has been given less than 10 times, placing it 9,317th in the ten-year statistics. From 2010 to 2024, it ranks 11,574th.

Famous people

• Maria Alcina (singer/author)