View Message

Elaine is lovely, imo. It’s very melodic, looks good in writing and it has that special Arthurian charm to it. It’s been one of my favourites for years.

---

Lal is ... unexpected. On one hand, it’s not a very pretty sound and I don’t find it hip or young sounding. On the other hand, I find it kinda retro sounding. Medieval sounding but also Golden age Hollywood. I can’t fully feel that it makes sense to go from Elaine to Lal but it could be endearing on the right person.

Lal must makes me think of Data's short-lived android daughter from Star Trek. It's kind of cool but not something I'd expect to be short for Elaine.

To me, Elaine is pretty and "Lal" ruins that a bit. I prefer "Laine" / "Lainey".

I don't think it's the most intuitive, but it makes some sense visually at least. I've never come across an Elaine nn Lal. I have a combo to get to nn Lal (Lahl) in honour of the Star Trek character.

Not too keen on Lal it seems like "Lol". I know an Elaine that goes by Laney and I think it's my favorite of the Elaine NNs

Lal definitely comes across as a "family nickname that makes no real sense to anyone else" kind of name. In that sense it's rather sweet. There's also something sort of "Hollywood" about it, a la Sissy Spaceck, Skeeter Davis, Dusty Springfield, Tippi Hedren.... Punky Brewster?

---

I like it.

I'm just trying to figure out how they came up with that one. All Elaines I've known just went by Elaine. No nicknames.

My first thought was "that doesn't make any sense at all". I also don't understand why you would ruin a nice medieval name like Elaine with an ugly nickname like Lal. Just my personal opinion. Elaine is pretty.

The only Elaine I ever knew who went by a nn went by Lainey.

---

I don't really see Lal being a nn for Elaine unless the Elaine in question or some kid in her family couldn't pronounce Elaine and wound up with Lal, but it still seems a stretch.