Carex elata All. is a well-known species widely distributed in western Eurasia. The name C. elata All. is the oldest name applied to the species of concern, but it was abandoned for C. stricta Gooden soon after publication. At the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, different authors dismissed C. stricta Gooden. as a later homonym of C. stricta Lam. and simultaneously resurrected C. elata All. We discuss usage of the name C. elata and propose a neotype to fix its current application.