Elaine

[CorrieQueen]

Is it nice or dated?

[thereisalightanditnevergoesout]

dated and not nice.

[JemimaMop]

I know lots of young girls called Elain which is the Welsh version and I think is very pretty.

[notanumber]

Elena is prettier and less dated, I think.

Elaines work in admin and have a fondness for bold prints.

[collision]

Dated!

Same ilk as Barbara or Rita or Eileen or Patricia.

Not pretty at all imvho

Elena is prettier but looks made up!

[minipie]

It is dated but also nice.

[clayre]

My sister is Elaine, she's 25 and works in social work!

Don't think I'd call a baby Elaine!

[CorrieQueen]

Ooo not one positive comment! Ahh well! Thank you for your opinions! It's so hard to know what is actually a nice name and what just sounds nice to my ears

[burntsienna]

Elaine is a name from the Arthurian legends, so as 'Arthur' has come into fashion again as a name, I can't see anything wrong with Elaine.

[MelinaM]

Definitely dated! Elin and Elena are nice[smile[

[AuraofDora]

elena
elin
are softer

[Emelene]

Dated. Makes me think of a middle aged secretary, sorry.

Similar names could be Alana, Helen, or the very pretty Elena / Eleanor already suggested. :)

[thereisalightanditnevergoesout]

The reason I don't like it is because it's the name of a girl who did unspeakable things to my boyfriend when I was 17. I'd still think it was dated, though.

[Bucharest]

Elaine isn't ready for a comeback, because she's younger in name trend terms than Arthur. Elaine will be back when Karen, Michelle and Julie are.

[randomimposter]

Dated IMHO.
LOVE Eleanor which is a classic.

[TortoiseVEasterBunny]

Interesting seeing what people think of my name!
But, I don't really like it. I always get called Laine. Or the E gets over pronounced Eeeelaine!

[nobodysmama]

I'm 30 and agree that it is a name more often associated with older people. I didn't like it when I was younger, although I don't mind it now.

I am very precious particular about how it is pronounced. I'm from Scotland and people there tend to pronounce it Ah-laine which really, really annoys me. I'm an Eee-laine!

[myalias]

Another EEElaine here - certainly not brassy, bit loud work in admin and have a fondness for bold prints. Who writes that load of tosh!!! Agree it is not a pretty name. I would have preferred to be named Eleanor.

[TortoiseVEasterBunny]

Nice to see other Elaine's. I'm 33.

[pilates]

Elaine - very 70's and not nice

How about Elora?

[BikeRunSki]

Is my niece's middle name. OKish.... hidden in the middle.

[turkeyboots]

Don't inflict it on anyone! I'm another Elaine...

[iWILLdothis]

Had a friend in primary school called Elaine....."Elaine the Pain who has no Brain"
But i still like it, fwiw.

[TortoiseVEasterBunny]

Elaine the pain went to Spain in an aeroplane, in the pouring rain, was washed down a drain and never seen again!