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My first thought is Elaine Benes from Seinfeld. Not a bad name; that's just the first thing that comes to mind.

I prefer just about any other Helen variant - Helen itself is my favourite, and though I don't enjoy Ellen, I do prefer it to Elaine. Which is unfair, really: I knew a plump, dull and boring Elaine once (a good friend of my cousin's) but since then the only two Elaine people I've known have been delightful, beautiful and very bright. So I really don't know what my problem is.

Objectively pretty, but feels really dated and not in a nice, retro way.

It's a no-nonsense, quietly elegant name. I quite like it.

I’ve always had a strong dislike for the name Elaine. It makes me think of the evil stepmother in a fairy tale, although I don’t have a clue why I’m so biased.

This message was edited 2/2/2021, 12:37 PM

I find it very pretty. I think of someone elegant, though maybe a little shy.

Don't really like it

I like it. It's pretty "normal" but also has a noticeable medieval flair.

I really want to like it because it's all Arthurian and short and sweet.

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However, growing up I used to watch a TV show based on he Tracy Beaker books by Jacqueline Wilson, and it was very popular at the time. Most British people my age would hear Elaine and associate it with the character "Elaine the Pain".

Hm. I just think of my little blonde friend Elaine. She's very nice and very adventurous and very Catholic.