Given name · also Welsh
Elaine
“the shining light”·“resembling a fawn”
In English use, Elaine has a related form in Elain. One Welsh interpretation is “resembling a fawn.”
Original FrenchÉlaine
Meaning & origin
What it means
In French use, Elaine carries the interpretation “the shining light.” In English use, Elaine has a related form in Elain. One Welsh interpretation is “resembling a fawn.”
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Where it comes from
A possible origin is Welsh, although the derivation remains uncertain.
How it developed
Elaine is used as a form of Helen.
The story
Its literary history includes the stories of King Arthur and his knights.
Elaine through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 263,543
- 653 boys · 262,890 girls
- Most popular year
- 1947
- 7,072 babies
- 2025
- 1,007
- #305 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +54%
- Rising fast
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 1,007 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 305 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 53.5% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 7,059 in 1947. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (127). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 176,185 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Elaine’s family of names
In English usage, Elaine has a diminutive in Lainey. In English usage, Elaine shares an earlier linguistic root with Helen. In English usage, Elaine has a conventional equivalent in the German form Helene.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Elaine has relatives in 5 languages. Lines run from its French roots to each of them.
Frenchwhere Elaine comes from · 1 name
Nicknames & forms 12
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Élainevariant · French
- Laineydiminutive · English
- Elainavariant · English
- Elaynavariant
- Lainiediminutive · English
- Elaynevariant
- Ellainavariant
- Elaenavariant
Show 4 moreShow fewer
Across languages 6
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 2
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Elaine
- Elaine Thompson-HerahJamaican athletics competitorborn 1992
- Elaine Chao18th United States Secretary of Transportation and 24th United States Secretary of Laborborn 1953
- Elaine PaigeEnglish singer, stage actress and radio presenterborn 1948
- Elaine MayAmerican screenwriter, film director, actress, and comedian (b. 1932)
- Elaine StritchAmerican actress and singer in film, television, and the theatre (1925–2014)
- Elaine CassidyIrish actressborn 1979
- Elaine Pagelshistorian of religionborn 1943
- Elaine StewartAmerican actress, model (1930-2011)
- Elaine de KooningAmerican painter (1918-1989)
Characters named Elaine: Elaine Benes (main character on the TV show Seinfeld), Elaine Marley (Monkey Island).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
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