NameChart

Elaine

Girl name

Elaine has been given to 263,543 babies in the U.S. since 1880. It peaked in 1947 and currently ranks #305 for girls (2025).

Meaning & origin /ɪˈleɪn/

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.

Origin: Ancient Greek

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Popularity over time births per year, 1880–2025

01.765k3.53k5.294k7.059k 18801900192019401960198020002020 Girls Boys
Hover or tap the chart to read any year.

Total babies

263,543

Peak year

1947 (7,072 babies)

Rank in 2025

#305 for girls

First recorded

1880

10-year trend

▲ +138%

Gender split

100% girls / 0% boys

Famous people named Elaine

Queen Latifah

American rapper, singer and actress

Elaine Thompson-Herah

Jamaican athletics competitor

Elaine Chao

18th United States Secretary of Transportation and 24th United States Secretary of Labor

Elaine Paige

English singer, stage actress and radio presenter

Notability data from Wikidata (CC0).

Names with a similar vibe

Same primary gender, peaked around the same years, and roughly as common as Elaine.

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