Evelyn
/EV-ə-lin/
Evelyn is a girl name of English origin, meaning Desired, or little Eve.
- GenderGirl
- OriginEnglish
- StyleModern
- Syllables3
- US rank#9
What does Evelyn mean?
Desired, or little Eve
Evelyn began as an English surname, taken from the Norman French given name Aveline, a diminutive of Ava. Aveline itself may connect to Germanic avi- or to the Hebrew Chava. The name therefore reaches modern use through a surname, which is why it was originally given to boys.
The story behind the name
For most of its history Evelyn was a male name in Britain. The diarist John Evelyn bore it as a surname; the soldier Evelyn Wood and the novelist Evelyn Waugh both bore it as a first name.
The shift to female use happened gradually across the nineteenth century and was complete in the United States by about 1915. Evelyn peaked in the 1910s and 1920s, disappeared for two generations, and then returned with the wider revival of great-grandmother names.
It re-entered the American top ten in 2017, a full century after its first peak.
Notable people named Evelyn
- Evelyn Waugh, novelist
- Evelyn Glennie, percussionist
- Evelyn Nesbit, artists' model
How popular is Evelyn?
Popularity in the United States
Evelyn has been given to 595,215 babies in the United States since 1880, peaking in the 1920s. It has been climbing over the last two decades.
About 1 in 175 babies born in the United States were given this name in the most recent year on record.
Popularity in Spain
There are 4,076 people called Evelyn living in Spain, with an average age of 23.9.
Variants and related names
Other spellings: Evelynn, Eveline, Aveline, Evelina
Can't decide? Swipe on it.
Swipe through names with your partner and instantly see the ones you both love.
Start swiping - it's freeFrequently asked questions about Evelyn
What does the name Evelyn mean?
Evelyn means Desired, or little Eve. It is of English origin.
Is Evelyn a boy's or a girl's name?
Evelyn is most often given to girls.
How do you pronounce Evelyn?
Evelyn is pronounced EV-ə-lin.
How popular is the name Evelyn?
Evelyn has been given to 595,215 babies in the United States since 1880, peaking in the 1920s. It has been climbing over the last two decades.
What are other spellings of Evelyn?
Common variants include Evelynn, Eveline, Aveline, Evelina.