Aino

Aino is a Finnish and Estonian name whose meaning is traditionally interpreted as the only one or simply one, derived from a Finnish word expressing uniqueness or aloneness. The name is best known from the Finnish national epic the Kalevala, in which Aino is a young woman who drowns herself rather than marry the old sage Väinämöinen, making her one of the epic's most poignant figures. The name gained widespread use in Finland following the publication of the Kalevala in the nineteenth century and remains a popular choice there today. Related forms include the Estonian variant Aino used in that tradition as well.