Girl nameCurrently #369 in the USRising
Elaine
ee-LAYN//ɪˈleɪn//
2 syllablesPeak year: 19476 lettersStarts with E
Meaning & origin
Shining light (variant of Helen)
Elaine is a medieval French form of Helen, sharing its Greek associations with light, and appears in Arthurian legend as the tragic 'Lady of Shalott'. A well-used mid-20th-century classic, it has a gentle, literary elegance.
Elaine's popularity over time
| Year | Births named Elaine |
|---|---|
| 1880 | 5 |
| 1883 | 5 |
| 1884 | 5 |
| 1886 | 5 |
| 1887 | 6 |
| 1888 | 7 |
| 1889 | 8 |
| 1890 | 12 |
| 1891 | 16 |
| 1892 | 22 |
| 1893 | 24 |
| 1894 | 20 |
| 1895 | 21 |
| 1896 | 38 |
| 1897 | 30 |
| 1898 | 29 |
| 1899 | 27 |
| 1900 | 50 |
| 1901 | 43 |
| 1902 | 48 |
| 1903 | 53 |
| 1904 | 57 |
| 1905 | 79 |
| 1906 | 82 |
| 1907 | 103 |
| 1908 | 129 |
| 1909 | 139 |
| 1910 | 195 |
| 1911 | 199 |
| 1912 | 313 |
| 1913 | 411 |
| 1914 | 568 |
| 1915 | 1,212 |
| 1916 | 1,236 |
| 1917 | 1,281 |
| 1918 | 1,479 |
| 1919 | 1,688 |
| 1920 | 2,440 |
| 1921 | 2,931 |
| 1922 | 2,798 |
| 1923 | 3,221 |
| 1924 | 3,809 |
| 1925 | 3,789 |
| 1926 | 4,019 |
| 1927 | 4,125 |
| 1928 | 4,022 |
| 1929 | 3,864 |
| 1930 | 3,961 |
| 1931 | 3,632 |
| 1932 | 3,593 |
| 1933 | 3,579 |
| 1934 | 3,913 |
| 1935 | 4,099 |
| 1936 | 4,274 |
| 1937 | 4,549 |
| 1938 | 4,854 |
| 1939 | 4,800 |
| 1940 | 4,797 |
| 1941 | 5,405 |
| 1942 | 6,005 |
| 1943 | 5,983 |
| 1944 | 5,648 |
| 1945 | 5,896 |
| 1946 | 6,816 |
| 1947 | 7,071 |
| 1948 | 6,412 |
| 1949 | 6,226 |
| 1950 | 6,046 |
| 1951 | 6,080 |
| 1952 | 5,663 |
| 1953 | 5,505 |
| 1954 | 5,831 |
| 1955 | 5,641 |
| 1956 | 5,318 |
| 1957 | 5,022 |
| 1958 | 4,752 |
| 1959 | 4,462 |
| 1960 | 4,323 |
| 1961 | 3,886 |
| 1962 | 3,624 |
| 1963 | 3,126 |
| 1964 | 2,837 |
| 1965 | 2,510 |
| 1966 | 2,065 |
| 1967 | 1,782 |
| 1968 | 1,706 |
| 1969 | 1,683 |
| 1970 | 1,446 |
| 1971 | 1,288 |
| 1972 | 1,071 |
| 1973 | 994 |
| 1974 | 950 |
| 1975 | 867 |
| 1976 | 782 |
| 1977 | 864 |
| 1978 | 762 |
| 1979 | 788 |
| 1980 | 777 |
| 1981 | 784 |
| 1982 | 784 |
| 1983 | 802 |
| 1984 | 617 |
| 1985 | 660 |
| 1986 | 664 |
| 1987 | 669 |
| 1988 | 715 |
| 1989 | 679 |
| 1990 | 632 |
| 1991 | 610 |
| 1992 | 603 |
| 1993 | 561 |
| 1994 | 567 |
| 1995 | 541 |
| 1996 | 531 |
| 1997 | 452 |
| 1998 | 481 |
| 1999 | 462 |
| 2000 | 453 |
| 2001 | 408 |
| 2002 | 399 |
| 2003 | 427 |
| 2004 | 413 |
| 2005 | 469 |
| 2006 | 393 |
| 2007 | 406 |
| 2008 | 399 |
| 2009 | 371 |
| 2010 | 343 |
| 2011 | 399 |
| 2012 | 400 |
| 2013 | 360 |
| 2014 | 439 |
| 2015 | 423 |
| 2016 | 498 |
| 2017 | 507 |
| 2018 | 470 |
| 2019 | 545 |
| 2020 | 583 |
| 2021 | 647 |
| 2022 | 682 |
| 2023 | 807 |
| 2024 | 843 |
Elaine through the decades
- Elaine peaked in 1947, when 7,071 babies were named Elaine in the US.
- Over the last 10 years of data (2015–2024), use of Elaine has risen 51% compared to the 10 years before that.
- Elaine currently ranks #369 in the US and is on the rise.
Nicknames
Elly
Variants & spellings
Elayne