Malvina is a feminine given name derived from the Gaelic mala mhinn, meaning "smooth brow". It was created by the 18th century Scottish poet James Macpherson. The name became popular in Scandinavia on account of Napoleon, an admirer of Macpherson's Ossianic poetry, who was the godfather of several children of Jean Baptiste Jules Bernadotte, an officer of his who ruled Norway and Sweden in the early 19th century. Other names popularised by Macpherson became popular in Scandinavia on account of Napoleon.
Variant forms of the Malvina include: Malwine, Malvine, Malwida, Malve, Malviina, Mal, and Malvin.
The Argentinian name for the Falkland Islands, Las Malvinas, is not etymologically related to Malvina, but is instead derived from the name of St Malo, a seaport in Brittany.