Elaine?

[jfoyo26]

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?

Beautiful name, due a comeback.

Agree with @Starryskiesinthesky. However Elena has a very similar sound and for some reason seems much nicer?

All I think is Elaine the pain

It's too middle aged for me, it'll come back eventually but not sure if now is the time!

I hate it. It used to be my middle name but I legally changed my name so I could remove it and eliminate all trace of it from my ID documents. Even though a middle name is rarely used I used to cringe everytime I saw it on my passport. I couldn't tell you why I dislike it though, its a bit of an irrational hatred I think.

How about Eliana - I knew a German girl called this and always thought it pretty? It's pronounced El-ee-arna.

I really like Lainey. I considered it. Elaine is an excellent character in Seinfeld. I’ve never met one in real life.

I really like it. It would be popular today if people didn't associate it with older women (because older women are a negative thing, apparently). Other short El-names are popular, it's vowel-heavy and feminine like the most popular girls names today.

The main reason I love it is the Arthurian link.

It will probably come back in fashion in the next 20-30 years, so if you use it now you'll be ahead of the curve.

I don’t think it’s about negative views of older women. All the granny chic names wouldn’t be popular if that was the case. It’s about it being too recent but not modern. I know a few Elaine’s and I like them and don’t think yuck to their names but I wouldn’t call a baby it.

Love / like Eleni and Elena though.

For me it's in the same group as Maureen and Pauline.

Like Lainey, like Elaina/Elena...dislike Elaine.

My sister in law is Laina.

Smartest woman at my work is called Elaine. I think it's a winner.

Elaine works best in English. The pronunciation is unambiguous.

Elena, Eliana, Elaina etc have several pronunciations.

I love Elaine - feminine and beautiful.

Love it!

I don’t like it at all and it’s not due a comeback. Agree it’s much like Maureen and Pauline. Some names of the same era are nicer.

I like the name Elaine. I think it's time we brought these types of names back like Carol, Linda, Susan, Claire, Wendy,Joanna Donna etc they are due a revival! Also can't wait to hear about the first new babies called Alan or Barry!

I'm an Elaine, mid 30s & I very rarely meet another one I was Lainy at school & still am to family & friends. Works well as it's a 'grown up' name at work too.

No, really no.

Yvonne, Pauline, Glenda, Maureen - that's where Elaine sits I'm afraid.

And I don't agree that it's nice if you take away the middle aged associations - it's very whiney. Elaaaine.

Don't do it!

Eleanor is so much nicer and classic, if you like the base sound go for that.

I think it's time we brought these types of names back like Carol, Linda, Susan, Claire, Wendy,Joanna Donna etc they are due a revival!

I went to school with all of these except Carol. Even then, Elaine was dreary and there weren't many of them! I knew one who was a few years older and her name didn't even fit then.

Agree totally that soon we'll be seeing Wendy, Joanna, Claire on the way back.

I like it. The only Elaines I know are in their 70s and 80s. It’s due a revival.

Some of the 1960s/70s names are lovely eg Susan, Linda, Donna but not keen on Elaine.

I think Elaine is in the same name group as Beverley Pamela and Valerie. They’re dead and gone and won’t be cool for many decades if ever. That’s just my opinion though. Runs and hides before the Valeries Elaines Beverlys and Pamelas come and get me.

Thank you all. Very mixed bag, to be expected I think, but haven't heard any comments to really put me off! Interestingly when considering Louise we had a similar mixed bag a lot of people thought it was a Mum name, geez Louise and all that, but we used it and now love it! Want to make sure that my kid has a short, classic name with good nicknames and Elaine seems to fit that bill. Don't really like Elina, Elena and the other names suggested seem too trendy, try hard to me and we know far too many Eleanor's. Agree Elaine is more out there than Louise but if she really hated it my thought is she could always become mainstream and go by Ellie - which I don't hate!

God no way.