Elaine is the Old French form of Helen, from the Greek helene, usually explained as "torch" or "bright light". In Arthurian legend Elaine of Astolat dies of love for Lancelot, the story behind Tennyson's The Lady of Shalott, and TV viewers know Elaine Benes from Seinfeld. A mid-century favorite, Elaine is rising again in the United States: from number 576 in 2000 and 675 in 2015 to 305 in 2025, its best rank this century.