The first name Elaine
A girl’s name from Greek.
Pronounced /ɪˈleɪn/ 2 syllables Female
Meaning and origin
Greek origin
From Old French Elaine, a variant of Elene, cognate to Helen, ultimately from Ancient Greek Ἑλένη (Helénē). A Celtic origin has also been suggested since the name appears in Arthurian legend. Doublet of Helen.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 29 girls were named Elaine, making it the 1,133rd most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2022, with 31 births (#1,081).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Elaine with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Elaine at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 1,007 girls born in the United States were named Elaine, the 305th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1947, when 7,059 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Elaine in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Elaine in Portuguese too.
Nicknames and spellings
Famous people named Elaine
55 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Elaine Chao18th United States Secretary of Transportation and 24th United States Secretary of Labor, born 1953
- Elaine PaigeEnglish singer, stage actress and radio presenter, born 1948
- Elaine MayAmerican screenwriter, film director, actress, and comedian (b. 1932)
- Elaine HendrixAmerican actress, born 1970
- Elaine StritchAmerican actress and singer in film, television, and the theatre (1925–2014)
- Elaine de KooningAmerican painter (1918-1989)
- Elaine StewartAmerican actress, model (1930-2011)
- Elaine ShowalterAmerican literary critic, feminist, and writer on cultural and social issues, born 1941
- Elaine BrownAmerican activist (born 1943)
- Elaine MorganBritish screenwriter, journalist, and author (1920–2013)
- Elaine HammersteinAmerican actress (1897-1948)
- Elaine YoungsAmerican beach volleyball player, born 1970
More Greek girls’ names
Questions
- What does the name Elaine mean?
- From Old French Elaine, a variant of Elene, cognate to Helen, ultimately from Ancient Greek Ἑλένη (Helénē). A Celtic origin has also been suggested since the name appears in Arthurian legend. Doublet of Helen.
- What is the origin of the name Elaine?
- From Old French Elaine, a variant of Elene, cognate to Helen, ultimately from Ancient Greek Ἑλένη (Helénē). A Celtic origin has also been suggested since the name appears in Arthurian legend. Doublet of Helen.
- How popular is the name Elaine?
- In 2025, 29 girls born in England and Wales were named Elaine, ranking 1,133rd. Its peak was 2022, with 31 births.
- What are nicknames for Elaine?
- Common nicknames for Elaine include Lainey.
- Is Elaine a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 263,543 US babies named Elaine since 1880 were girls.
- When was Elaine most popular?
- 1947 in the United States, when 7,059 babies were named Elaine, its highest rank at 50th.
- How do you pronounce Elaine?
- Elaine is /ɪˈleɪn/, 2 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Elaine?
- Elaina.