Girl
Elaine
bright, shining one
About Elaine
This distinguished name carries decades of elegance and refinement that never goes out of style. Elaine has graced countless accomplished women throughout history, from literary characters to real-world leaders and artists. The name possesses a mature quality that grows beautifully with its bearer, never feeling juvenile or cutesy. Its French origins lend it sophistication, while its straightforward pronunciation makes it accessible across cultures. Elaine works particularly well in professional settings, commanding respect without seeming stuffy or pretentious. The two-syllable structure gives it clarity and strength, avoiding the complications of longer, more elaborate names. Parents who choose Elaine often value timeless classics over fleeting trends, preferring names with proven longevity. It pairs exceptionally well with both traditional and modern middle names, offering flexibility in creating the perfect full name combination. Elaine suggests intelligence, grace, and quiet confidence—qualities many parents hope to see in their daughters. The name remains relatively uncommon among younger generations, providing uniqueness without being obscure.
Popularity of the Name Elaine
Rank among the 1,000 most popular baby names, by year.
| United States | United Kingdom | New Zealand | Ireland | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | #857 | ||||
| 1883 | #957 | ||||
| 1889 | #967 | ||||
| 1890 | #800 | ||||
| 1891 | #674 | ||||
| 1892 | #597 | ||||
| 1893 | #579 | ||||
| 1894 | #669 | ||||
| 1895 | #691 | ||||
| 1896 | #469 | ||||
| 1897 | #541 | ||||
| 1898 | #598 | ||||
| 1899 | #596 | ||||
| 1900 | #479 | ||||
| 1901 | #452 | ||||
| 1902 | #455 | ||||
| 1903 | #437 | ||||
| 1904 | #428 | ||||
| 1905 | #380 | ||||
| 1906 | #376 | ||||
| 1907 | #347 | #168 | |||
| 1908 | #313 | ||||
| 1909 | #309 | ||||
| 1910 | #279 | ||||
| 1911 | #274 | #171 | |||
| 1912 | #252 | ||||
| 1913 | #238 | ||||
| 1914 | #221 | #186 | |||
| 1915 | #155 | #196 | |||
| 1916 | #161 | #193 | |||
| 1917 | #160 | #185 | |||
| 1918 | #152 | #180 | |||
| 1919 | #136 | #146 | |||
| 1920 | #107 | #130 | |||
| 1921 | #97 | #141 | |||
| 1922 | #102 | #88 | |||
| 1923 | #87 | #91 | |||
| 1924 | #73 | #88 | |||
| 1925 | #73 | #84 | |||
| 1926 | #68 | #81 | |||
| 1927 | #69 | #78 | |||
| 1928 | #68 | #55 | |||
| 1929 | #67 | #70 | |||
| 1930 | #69 | #49 | |||
| 1931 | #72 | #38 | |||
| 1932 | #68 | #38 | |||
| 1933 | #61 | #35 | |||
| 1934 | #54 | #43 | |||
| 1935 | #51 | #35 | |||
| 1936 | #50 | #23 | |||
| 1937 | #45 | #23 | |||
| 1938 | #42 | #23 | |||
| 1939 | #45 | #23 | |||
| 1940 | #50 | #24 | |||
| 1941 | #44 | #20 | |||
| 1942 | #45 | #22 | |||
| 1943 | #46 | #23 | |||
| 1944 | #46 | #30 | |||
| 1945 | #44 | #33 | |||
| 1946 | #47 | #42 | |||
| 1947 | #50 | #47 | |||
| 1948 | #53 | #52 | |||
| 1949 | #57 | #52 | |||
| 1950 | #60 | #66 | |||
| 1951 | #66 | #65 | |||
| 1952 | #73 | #69 | |||
| 1953 | #77 | #65 | |||
| 1954 | #74 | #67 | |||
| 1955 | #77 | #76 | |||
| 1956 | #89 | #92 | |||
| 1957 | #96 | #88 | |||
| 1958 | #101 | #94 | |||
| 1959 | #105 | #126 | |||
| 1960 | #112 | #108 | |||
| 1961 | #118 | #117 | |||
| 1962 | #125 | #140 | |||
| 1963 | #134 | #141 | |||
| 1964 | #142 | #117 | #58 | ||
| 1965 | #149 | #142 | #56 | ||
| 1966 | #166 | #152 | #49 | ||
| 1967 | #182 | #154 | #37 | ||
| 1968 | #189 | #175 | #27 | ||
| 1969 | #191 | #160 | #23 | ||
| 1970 | #217 | #234 | #22 | ||
| 1971 | #233 | #222 | #16 | ||
| 1972 | #252 | #298 | #16 | ||
| 1973 | #253 | #286 | #16 | ||
| 1974 | #267 | #14 | |||
| 1975 | #282 | #236 | #11 | ||
| 1976 | #292 | #274 | #14 | ||
| 1977 | #274 | #263 | #11 | ||
| 1978 | #310 | #277 | #15 | ||
| 1979 | #306 | #360 | #17 | ||
| 1980 | #313 | #12 | |||
| 1981 | #310 | #255 | #13 | ||
| 1982 | #313 | #6 | |||
| 1983 | #293 | #361 | #13 | ||
| 1984 | #371 | #369 | #14 | ||
| 1985 | #360 | #12 | |||
| 1986 | #358 | #16 | |||
| 1987 | #355 | #279 | #20 | ||
| 1988 | #351 | #18 | |||
| 1989 | #376 | #386 | #20 | ||
| 1990 | #409 | #262 | #31 | ||
| 1991 | #419 | #25 | #361 | ||
| 1992 | #421 | #47 | #347 | ||
| 1993 | #444 | #47 | #440 | ||
| 1994 | #447 | #48 | #432 | ||
| 1995 | #467 | #64 | #447 | ||
| 1996 | #470 | #65 | #437 | ||
| 1997 | #526 | #692 | #71 | #472 | |
| 1998 | #523 | #705 | #77 | #525 | |
| 1999 | #544 | #831 | #113 | #554 | |
| 2000 | #576 | #964 | #114 | #638 | |
| 2001 | #615 | #953 | #194 | #612 | |
| 2002 | #638 | #178 | #648 | ||
| 2003 | #629 | #171 | #748 | ||
| 2004 | #662 | #182 | #733 | ||
| 2005 | #606 | #235 | #684 | ||
| 2006 | #718 | #291 | #669 | ||
| 2007 | #720 | #568 | #795 | ||
| 2008 | #743 | #283 | #966 | ||
| 2009 | #766 | #338 | #713 | ||
| 2010 | #797 | #452 | #779 | ||
| 2011 | #699 | #418 | #712 | ||
| 2012 | #703 | #621 | #935 | ||
| 2013 | #753 | #386 | #498 | #738 | |
| 2014 | #650 | #849 | |||
| 2015 | #675 | #377 | #926 | #907 | |
| 2016 | #604 | #777 | #712 | ||
| 2017 | #591 | #664 | #636 | ||
| 2018 | #636 | #905 | #689 | ||
| 2019 | #563 | #825 | |||
| 2020 | #519 | #635 | |||
| 2021 | #486 | #903 | #859 | ||
| 2022 | #464 | #398 | #577 | #779 | |
| 2023 | #381 | #556 | #664 | ||
| 2024 | #368 | #647 | #484 | ||
| 2025 | #305 | #617 | #674 |
Top names by country: United States · United Kingdom · New Zealand · Ireland · Canada
Variations of Name Elaine
Names Similar to Elaine
Nicknames for Elaine
- Elly
- Lainey
- Ellie
- Lane
Famous People Named Elaine
| Elaine de Kooning | American abstract expressionist painter |
| Elaine Stritch | American actress and singer |
| Elaine Paige | English singer and actress |
| Elaine Chao | American politician and former Secretary of Transportation |
| Elaine Thompson-Herah | Jamaican sprinter and Olympic gold medalist |
| Elaine May | American screenwriter, playwright, and director |
| Elaine Cassidy | Irish actress |
| Elaine Showalter | American literary critic and author |
| Elaine Welteroth | American journalist and former editor-in-chief of Teen Vogue |
| Elaine L. Chao | American diplomat and former U.S. Secretary of Labor |
| Elaine Miles | Native American actress |
| Elaine H. Kim | Korean-American writer and scholar |
| Elaine Bromka | American actress |
| Elaine Quijano | American journalist and CBS News anchor |
| Elaine C. Smith | Scottish actress and comedian |
| Elaine Sturtevant | American artist |
| Elaine Dundy | American novelist and playwright |
| Elaine Brown | American activist and former chairwoman of the Black Panther Party |
| Elaine Irwin | American model and singer |
| Elaine Hendrix | American actress |
Characters Named Elaine
| Elaine Benes | Character from the TV show "Seinfeld" |
| Elaine Robinson | Character in the novel and film "The Graduate" |
| Elaine Miller | Character in the film "Almost Famous" |
| Elaine Morganstern | Character in the TV show "The Love Boat" |
| Elaine Costello | Character in the TV show "The Cosby Show" |
| Elaine Barrish | Character in the TV show "Political Animals" |
| Elaine Dickinson | Character in the film "Airplane!" |
| Elaine Harper | Character in the play "Arsenic and Old Lace" |
| Elaine Vassal | Character in the TV show "Ally McBeal" |
| Elaine Nardo | Character in the TV show "Taxi" |
| Elaine Marley | Character in the video game series "Tales of Monkey Island" |
| Elaine Belloc | Character in the comic book series "Books of Magic" |
| Elaine Roberts | Character in the TV show "Gilligan's Island" |
| Elaine Vancome | Character in the TV show "Popular" |
| Elaine Darrow | Character in the film "Meet Me in St. Louis" |