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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Elaine?

104 replies

jfoyo26 · 10/11/2019 00:31

Love the meaning, look of this name, straight out the pages of Aurthurian legend!
Great nickname options...El, Lain, Lainey.
Possible sister to Louise...Think Louise and Elaine, plus nicknames Lou and Lainey, sound pretty good together IMO!

Thoughts?

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OneKeyAtATime · 14/11/2019 20:30

I like it! I know one who is in her thirties. It suits her

Lavenderblues · 14/11/2019 20:21

The sound of Elaine is so much nicer than Ellen. Elaine is beautiful imo

BoudicasBoudoir · 14/11/2019 20:11

Elaine is a school bully name to me.

Ellen is nice.

SnuggyBuggy · 14/11/2019 15:52

What about Lana?

whiskeysourpuss · 14/11/2019 15:50

I have a Lou & a Laney not Louise & Elaine though.

So on that basis I like it Smile

CatkinToadflax · 14/11/2019 15:44

It’s got a nice sound to it and works well with Louise. Ruined for me unfortunately by a former colleague whose wife was Elaine. He’d phone her up multiple times during the working day and 9 times out of 10 they’d have a blazing row down the phone. I got so fed up of hearing him booming “Ohhh Eeeeelaiiiiiiiiinnne!” Poor woman.

AnotherElaine · 14/11/2019 01:08

I’m Elaine, I’m 43 so I guess that counts as middle aged! I haven’t ever hated my name or wanted a different one but I suppose I’m relatively indifferent towards it really. It’s fine, and I like the Arthurian connection.

The only downside is, I’m a children’s social worker.

Bloody Tracy Beaker.

Angelita87 · 12/11/2019 19:34

The pain

NotaWagon · 12/11/2019 19:33

Lainey is lovely

chocolatefudgecake17 · 12/11/2019 15:20

@Cacacoisfarraige great name!😊

Blue19 · 12/11/2019 14:35

I was named a name of middle aged women at the time I was born and have never liked my name for that reason- people always expect me to be 40 years older! But Lainey is lovely so I think you could get away with it :)

NoSauce · 12/11/2019 13:44

Elaine to me is a 60 year old dinner lady.

Cacacoisfarraige · 12/11/2019 13:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Slappadabass · 12/11/2019 09:46

Lainey yes, it's lovely and goes very well with Louise.
Elaine, God no. Reminds me of a middle aged receptionist, absolutely awful!

123Dancewithme · 12/11/2019 09:35

Objectively it’s a nice name, but I just think of a 60 year old librarian.

june2007 · 11/11/2019 23:30

I knew a few a year older then me. (70,s baby) But I,m not keen. Saying that I don,t meet many these days so if your looking for something that is more unique then its good.

MarthasGinYard · 11/11/2019 23:30

'Elaine Figgis, unlucky in love'Grin

Ahlaine · 11/11/2019 23:23

This is my name! I'm 38, most Elaines are about 20 years older than me! I have never been called Loony Lainey or Elaine the Pain, at least not to my face...
I like my name, but where I am in Scotland some people say Ahlaine and not E-laine and that bugs me.
I would be thrilled to bits to meet a baby Elaine but there are not many about, whenever I have checked the baby name lists for Scotland in recent years there has never been more than a handful of wee Elaines and one year there were none. So if you do use it, she is sure to be the only one in her school!

chocolatefudgecake17 · 11/11/2019 17:58

@Cacacoisfarraige your name is Elaine Marie? Mine is Marie Elaine

HappyEverIftar · 11/11/2019 17:50

It's a no from me.

Every Elaine I've had the misfortune to come into contact with hasn't been pleasant.

chocolatefudgecake17 · 11/11/2019 17:26

My middle name is Elaine. I love it. Go for it OP.

FriedasCarLoad · 11/11/2019 16:53

It’s a classic name that’s rarely used now. Go on, start the comeback!

Cacacoisfarraige · 11/11/2019 16:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Butterymuffin · 11/11/2019 16:40

It's nicer than many of the current crop of 'granny' names like Agnes, Violet etc. Elaine just has different generational associations. Eleanor is no nicer, just happens to be more fashionable right now.

Pemba · 11/11/2019 16:34

It's actually quite a pretty name, and was a character in Arthurian legend as you say. Unfortunately, as it was most popular in the 50s/60s you will get the knee jerk reaction from (blinkered) people that it's a name only for older middle-aged women.

But having said that I do prefer Helen/Helena/Eleanor if I'm honest. Also, with Louise, I wonder if the two names together are a little similar? Both heavily featuring the 'L' sound, don't you want to get more contrasting names with different sounds?