Are Elaine And Ellen The Same Name?

Yes, ultimately they both probably derive from the ancient Greek name Helen (originally Helene, now pronounced e-LEH-ni) which itself may have a connection with the Greek word Helios, or "sun." It is probably not based on the idea of Greek nationality, "Hellenic." Helen was later Romanised into Helena, and became a popular name among Christians, largely because it was the name of the pious mother (supposedly finder of the Cross of Christ) of the Christian Emperor Constantine.

Elaine (pronounced eLANE) is a French version of Helen. It has long been popular in Britain, largely because of the story of Lancelot and Elaine "the lily maid" in the medieval version of the King Arthur saga. Ellen is an English variant, very widespread in the 19th century but now less common than Elaine. There are many other names derived from Helen. These include Elena, which is used in Spanish, Italian and Russian speaking countries, and the Welsh variant Elen.

A popular pet form of all these names was formerly Nell, now sometimes given as a name in its own right.