How to say it
e · LAINE
/əˈleɪn/
Feminine
Elaine
Light, torch
What it means
The Old French form of Helen, from a Greek root meaning 'torch' or 'bright light.'
Elaine is the Old French form of Helen, from a Greek root tied to 'torch' and 'shining light.' It runs all through Arthurian legend, from Elaine of Astolat, Tennyson's Lady of Shalott, to Elaine the mother of Galahad. It was a mid-century favorite and, more recently, the unforgettable Elaine Benes of Seinfeld. It belongs to the luminous Helen family with Elena and Eleanor. Lainey is the natural short.
Popularity over time
peaked at #42 in 1938, currently #305 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Pop culture
From Arthurian legend to Elaine Benes on Seinfeld; the same Helen root as Elena and Eleanor.
- Nickname
Lainey falls out of it easily.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Elaine of Astolat the Arthurian figure behind Tennyson's Lady of Shalott
- Elaine Benes one of the four leads on Seinfeld
Spelling variants
- Elaina
- Elayne
- Elaena
Names with the same feeling
See Elaine from another angle
By meaning
By style