National Elaine Day – October 16, 2024

History of National Elaine Day

‘Elaine’ is a Greek girl’s name meaning ‘sunbeam’ or ‘bright light.’ However, it may also mean ‘hot torch.’ Moreover, it’s the English translation for the French name ‘Helen,’ brought to Scotland during the years when Scotland and France were fighting England. The name Helen is thought to refer to Helen of Troy, a stunningly beautiful Greek woman whose kidnapping started a war between two city-states. However, Elaine is a combination of Elaina, Elayne, and Helen — which Saint Helena of Constantinople popularized.

The use of Elane was also influenced by Welsh/Celtic mythology — primarily by Elaine of Astolat, who loved Lancelot in the legends of King Arthur and the Round Table. However, it wasn’t until Lord Tennyson published “Idylls of the Kings” and “The Lady of Shalott” in the mid-19th century that Elaine became a more readily adopted name in England and Scotland.

In the U.S., Elaine had started climbing the top 100 list by the early 1920s and stayed there for nearly four decades, peaking at number 42 in 1938. But after the 1960s, the name’s popularity started to plummet because it seemed “old-fashioned,” and a further decline was seen in the 2000s. The name hasn’t recovered its previous trajectory so far, nor is it likely to.