The first name Evelyn
A girl’s name from English meaning “desired”, “wished for“ (compare latin avēre”, “aval “strength”.
Pronounced /ˈɛvəlɪn/ 3 syllables Female Also a surname
Meaning and origin
English origin
Evelyn means “desired”, “wished for“ (compare latin avēre”, “aval “strength” in English.
From Middle English forms of the Old French female name Aveline, diminutive of the Germanic root *avi-, of uncertain meaning, possibly “desired, wished for“ (compare Latin avēre, "to wish for") or aval “strength”. By folk etymology also misunderstood as a diminutive of the feminine given name Eve, q.v. Doublet of Eileen. Also compare Ava.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 1,560 girls were named Evelyn, making it the 12th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2017, with 1,967 births (#22).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Evelyn with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Evelyn at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 9,123 girls born in the United States were named Evelyn, the 8th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1921, when 14,278 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Evelyn in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Nicknames and spellings
Famous people named Evelyn
91 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Evelyn WaughBritish writer and journalist (1903–1966)
- Evelyn Beatrice HallEnglish writer, 1868–1956
- Evelyn AshfordAmerican sprinter, born 1957
- Evelyn KeyesAmerican film actress (1916-2008)
- Evelyn Fox KellerAmerican physicist, author and feminist, 1936–2023
- Evelyn Wever-Croes4th Prime Minister of Aruba (born 1966)
- Evelyn BerezinAmerican computer scientist (1925–2018)
- Evelyn BrentAmerican actress (1899/1901–1975)
- Evelyn NesbitAmerican model and actress (1884–1967)
- Evelyn FurtschAmerican track and field athlete (1914–2015)
- G. Evelyn HutchinsonBritish zoologist (1903–1991)
- Evelyn Baring, 1st Earl of CromerBritish statesman, diplomat and colonial administrator (1841-1917)
More English girls’ names
Questions
- What does the name Evelyn mean?
- Evelyn means “desired”, “wished for“ (compare latin avēre”, “aval “strength” in English.
- What is the origin of the name Evelyn?
- From Middle English forms of the Old French female name Aveline, diminutive of the Germanic root *avi-, of uncertain meaning, possibly “desired, wished for“ (compare Latin avēre, "to wish for") or aval “strength”. By folk etymology also misunderstood as a diminutive of the feminine given name Eve,…
- How popular is the name Evelyn?
- In 2025, 1,560 girls born in England and Wales were named Evelyn, ranking 12th. Its peak was 2017, with 1,967 births.
- What are nicknames for Evelyn?
- Common nicknames for Evelyn include Ev.
- Is Evelyn a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 641,662 US babies named Evelyn since 1880 were girls.
- When was Evelyn most popular?
- 1921 in the United States, when 14,278 babies were named Evelyn, its highest rank at 12th.
- How do you pronounce Evelyn?
- Evelyn is /ˈɛvəlɪn/, 3 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Evelyn?
- Eveline, Evelina and Eveleen.
- Is Evelyn also a surname?
- Yes. Evelyn is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.