Where does the name Elaine come from?

Elaine is a girl name of French origin.

Is Elaine a boy or a girl name?

Elaine is overwhelmingly a girl name in the United States. Of the 261,034 U.S. babies recorded with this name, more than 99% are girls.

How popular is the name Elaine in 2023?

Elaine ranks #381 for girls in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1947 with 7,059 babies.

How do you pronounce Elaine?

Elaine is pronounced ee-LAYN (2 syllables).

What are common spellings of Elaine?

Elaine is also written as Elayne, Elaina, Elena.

A name from French · Girl

Elaine

Old French form of Helen, ultimately from Greek Ἑλένη ('torch, shining'). In Arthurian legend, Elaine of Astolat (the 'Lady of Shalott') died of unrequited love for Lancelot.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 143-year arc in numbers.

261,034 U.S. births recorded from 1880–2023.

Popularity · 1880–2023

808 births in 2023

1880 1951 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

EOld French form of Helen, ultimately from Greek Ἑλένη ('torch, shining'). In Arthurian legend, Elaine of Astolat (the 'Lady of Shalott') died of unrequited love for Lancelot.

Variants & spellings

3 ways to spell "Elaine".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Elayne Most common Elaina Elena

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Elaine.

E
Elaine May (filmmaker and comedian)
E
Elaine Benes (Seinfeld character)
E
Elaine Stritch (actress)

Quick answers

People often ask about Elaine.

What does the name Elaine mean?: Elaine means old French form of Helen, ultimately from Greek Ἑλένη ('torch, shining'). In Arthurian legend, Elaine of Astolat (the 'Lady of Shalott') died of unrequited love for Lancelot.
Where does the name Elaine come from?: Elaine is a girl name of French origin.
Is Elaine a boy or a girl name?: Elaine is overwhelmingly a girl name in the United States. Of the 261,034 U.S. babies recorded with this name, more than 99% are girls.
How popular is the name Elaine in 2023?: Elaine ranks #381 for girls in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1947 with 7,059 babies.
How do you pronounce Elaine?: Elaine is pronounced ee-LAYN (2 syllables).
What are common spellings of Elaine?: Elaine is also written as Elayne, Elaina, Elena.

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About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.