Elaine
From Old French Elaine, a variant of Elene, cognate to Helen, ultimately from Ancient Greek Ἑλένη (Helénē).
Every Elaine since 1880 — 263,543 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Elaine
Elaine is moderately common for girls in the United States, ranked #305 in 2025 with 1,007 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 263,543 American babies have been named Elaine. Its peak came in 1947, when 7,072 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1940s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Elaine stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Elaine year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,007 | #305 | — | — |
| 2024 | 849 | #368 | — | — |
| 2023 | 808 | #381 | — | — |
| 2022 | 685 | #464 | — | — |
| 2021 | 647 | #486 | — | — |
| 2020 | 583 | #519 | — | — |
| 2019 | 545 | #563 | — | — |
| 2018 | 470 | #636 | — | — |
| 2017 | 507 | #591 | — | — |
| 2016 | 498 | #604 | — | — |
| 2015 | 423 | #675 | — | — |
| 2014 | 439 | #650 | — | — |
| 2013 | 360 | #753 | — | — |
| 2012 | 400 | #703 | — | — |
| 2011 | 399 | #699 | — | — |
| 2010 | 343 | #797 | — | — |
| 2009 | 371 | #766 | — | — |
| 2008 | 399 | #743 | — | — |
| 2007 | 406 | #720 | — | — |
| 2006 | 393 | #718 | — | — |
| 2005 | 469 | #606 | — | — |
| 2004 | 413 | #662 | — | — |
| 2003 | 427 | #629 | — | — |
| 2002 | 399 | #638 | — | — |
| 2001 | 408 | #615 | — | — |
| 2000 | 453 | #576 | — | — |
| 1995 | 541 | #467 | — | — |
| 1990 | 632 | #409 | — | — |
| 1985 | 655 | #360 | 5 | #6,848 |
| 1980 | 771 | #313 | 6 | #5,734 |
| 1975 | 860 | #282 | 6 | #4,993 |
| 1970 | 1,437 | #217 | 9 | #3,356 |
| 1965 | 2,498 | #149 | 12 | #2,397 |
| 1960 | 4,315 | #112 | 9 | #2,931 |
| 1955 | 5,635 | #77 | 6 | #3,616 |
| 1950 | 6,037 | #60 | 9 | #2,632 |
| 1945 | 5,887 | #44 | 9 | #2,445 |
| 1940 | 4,782 | #50 | 15 | #1,828 |
| 1935 | 4,080 | #51 | 19 | #1,606 |
| 1930 | 3,954 | #69 | 7 | #3,380 |
| 1925 | 3,776 | #73 | 13 | #2,340 |
| 1920 | 2,433 | #107 | 7 | #3,589 |
| 1915 | 1,212 | #155 | — | — |
| 1910 | 195 | #279 | — | — |
| 1905 | 79 | #380 | — | — |
| 1900 | 50 | #479 | — | — |
| 1895 | 21 | #691 | — | — |
| 1890 | 12 | #800 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | 5 | #857 | — | — |
Famous people named Elaine
- Elaine Paige Singer · b. 1948
- Elaine Chao Economist · b. 1953
- Elaine Hendrix Actor · b. 1970
- Elaine May Writer · b. 1932
- Elaine Stritch Actor · 1925–2014
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Elaine mean?
From Old French Elaine, a variant of Elene, cognate to Helen, ultimately from Ancient Greek Ἑλένη (Helénē).
How popular is the name Elaine in 2025?
Elaine ranked #305 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 1,007 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Elaine?
263,543 babies have been named Elaine in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Elaine most popular?
Elaine peaked in 1947, when 7,072 newborns received the name.
Is Elaine a boy or girl name?
Elaine is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Elaine rising or falling?
Elaine is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Elaine?
Well-known people named Elaine include Elaine Paige (singer), Elaine Chao (economist), Elaine Hendrix (actor).