Given name & surname · also Greek
Galina
“the shining light”
In Russian use, Galina carries the interpretation “the shining light.”
Original RussianГалина
Meaning & origin
What it means
In Russian use, Galina carries the interpretation “the shining light.”
Where it comes from
A possible origin is Greek, although the derivation remains uncertain.
How it developed
A proposed origin is Greek galéné, meaning “calm”.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1970. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Galina is a form of Helen. The history of Helen gives this family its wider story. Helen’s historical associations include the mother of the Emperor Constantine.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Galina through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 381
- 0 boys · 381 girls
- Most popular year
- 2014
- 15 babies
- 2025
- 8
- #11,261 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +31%
- Rising
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 8 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 11,261 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 31.0% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 10,564 as a first name in 2020; 149 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Galina’s family of names
Galina has an affectionate form in Gala. In English usage, Galina shares an earlier linguistic root with Halyna. Galina is a form of Helen.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Galina has relatives in 11 languages. Lines run from its Ancient Greek roots to each of them.
Ancient Greekwhere Galina comes from · 1 name
Nicknames & forms 14
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 8
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 7
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Galina
- Galina VishnevskayaRussian soprano opera singer and recitalist (1926—2012)
- Galina UlanovaSoviet ballet dancer (1910-1998)
- Galina ChistyakovaSoviet long jumper and triple jumperborn 1962
- Galina ZybinaRussian shot-putter, javelin thrower, and coach (1931–2024)
- Galina VoskoboevaKazakhstani tennis playerborn 1984
- Galina ProzumenshchikovaSoviet Olympic swimmer1948–2015
- Galina StarovoytovaRussian academic and politician (1946-1998)
- Galina KulakovaSoviet cross-country skierborn 1942
- Galina GorokhovaSoviet fencerborn 1938
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
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