What Does the Name Sina Mean?
In Samoan, sina means "white" or "silver-haired," traditionally describing someone touched by age or moonlight rather than a physical trait alone. In Persian, the name is tied to "brilliance" or "radiance," reflected in its most famous historical association.
The Origin & History of Sina
In Samoan legend, Sina is the name of several beloved heroines, most famously in "Sina and the Eel," a foundational Pacific story explaining the origin of the coconut tree — a tale still told across Samoa and wider Polynesia. Separately, the Persian polymath known in the West as Avicenna carried the name Ibn Sina, "son of Sina," cementing the name's place in the history of medicine and philosophy.
Personality & Traits
Sina feels quietly dignified — short and easy to say, but carrying the weight of two entirely different storytelling traditions behind it.
Cultural Reach
Beyond Samoa and the Persian-speaking world, Sina appears as a name or name-element in Irish Gaelic and other traditions, making it one of the more genuinely cross-cultural short names in use today.
Personality & Uses as a Unisex Name
Sina is used for both girls and boys with almost no lean toward either in recent US data, making it a straightforward pick for families wanting a name that isn't gendered by sound or spelling.
Popularity Over Time
Sina remains rare in the US — 26 total births in 2024 — but its dual heritage gives it far more cultural weight than its numbers suggest.