Elayne Girl

Popularity: #908 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: eh-LAYN /ɛˈleɪn/

Origin: English; French

Meaning: English: Light; French: Torch

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Elayne has its roots in the Old French name 'Elaine', which is derived from the Latin 'Helena', itself originating from the Greek 'Helene'. The Greek name is believed to mean 'torch' or 'light', symbolizing brightness and illumination.

The transition of the name into English occurred during the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century, when many Old French names were adopted into the English language, leading to the emergence of various forms, including Elayne. Historically, the name Elaine has been associated with notable figures in literature and mythology.

One of the most famous bearers of the name is Elaine of Astolat, a character from Arthurian legend, who is often depicted as a tragic figure in the tales of Sir Lancelot and Queen Guinevere. Her story has been retold in various literary works, including Alfred Lord Tennyson's 'Idylls of the King' in the 19th century, which helped to cement her place in the cultural consciousness surrounding the Arthurian legends.

Additionally, the name appears in medieval romances and poetry, further embedding it in the literary tradition. The name Elayne and its variants have also been associated with themes of beauty, love, and tragedy, resonating through various cultural narratives.

The enduring nature of the name can be attributed to its rich literary connections and the symbolic meanings associated with light and beauty. In some contexts, the diminutive form 'Ela' has also been used, although it is less common.

Overall, Elayne encapsulates a blend of historical significance and cultural resonance that has allowed it to persist through the centuries.

Famous people named Elayne

In this section, you will find notable people named Elayne. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Elayne who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Elayne who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Elayne Boosler is a comedian and actress best known for her stand-up specials, the television series Night Court, and her work on Comedy Central.

Fictional characters named Elayne

The following list of fictional characters named Elayne is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Elayne Trakand is a fictional character from the book series The Wheel of Time. She is a key figure in the struggle against the Dark One and becomes a powerful Aes Sedai with significant political influence.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Elayne, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

ElaineEleanorElenaEvelynLanaLayla

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Elayne. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

AlaynaElenaSelenaLanaElinaElaraElisaAlana

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Elayne was first seen in the United States in 1912.

Elayne has ranked as high as #1391 nationally, which occurred in 1946, and has been most popular in New York, California, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Wisconsin.

In the past 5 years the name Elayne has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Elayne is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Elayne was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Elayne.

Year Total Births Girl
2025 40 40
2024 42 42
2023 21 21
2022 31 31
2021 29 29
2020 34 34
2019 27 27
2018 26 26
2017 29 29
2016 34 34
2015 24 24
2014 21 21
2013 29 29
2012 31 31
2011 22 22
2010 12 12
2009 19 19
2008 19 19
2007 24 24
2006 18 18
2005 12 12
2004 15 15
2003 11 11
2002 15 15
2001 17 17
2000 25 25
1999 14 14
1998 20 20
1997 21 21
1996 23 23
1995 17 17
1994 12 12
1993 31 31
1992 29 29
1991 13 13
1990 17 17
1989 13 13
1988 17 17
1987 23 23
1986 13 13
1985 10 10
1984 11 11
1983 10 10
1982 14 14
1981 14 14
1980 16 16
1979 12 12
1978 16 16
1977 24 24
1976 18 18
1975 12 12
1974 13 13
1973 10 10
1972 6 6
1971 17 17
1970 17 17
1969 17 17
1968 24 24
1967 23 23
1966 23 23
1965 37 37
1964 31 31
1963 34 34
1962 40 40
1961 37 37
1960 40 40
1959 45 45
1958 49 49
1957 49 49
1956 44 44
1955 52 52
1954 69 69
1953 50 50
1952 58 58
1951 56 56
1950 66 66
1949 80 80
1948 80 80
1947 98 98
1946 104 104
1945 82 82
1944 67 67
1943 67 67
1942 64 64
1941 58 58
1940 40 40
1939 32 32
1938 42 42
1937 49 49
1936 50 50
1935 49 49
1934 54 54
1933 52 52
1932 63 63
1931 74 74
1930 66 66
1929 61 61
1928 56 56
1927 84 84
1926 82 82
1925 100 100
1924 102 102
1923 77 77
1922 70 70
1921 79 79
1920 50 50
1919 30 30
1918 20 20
1917 26 26
1916 22 22
1915 14 14
1914 6 6
1913 5 5
1912 5 5

Top States for Elayne (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
OH 5
100%