Girl · Germanic, through Norman French
Evelyn
Say it: EV-uh-lin
Meaning
From an English surname derived from the Norman given name Aveline, from a Germanic element (avi or avila) of uncertain meaning. Online claims that it means 'wished-for child' or 'life' (by confusion with Eve) are folk etymology.
Uncertainseveral explanations, none settled.
Long used for boys in England, it became mainly a girls' name, peaking in the US around 1915 and again in the 2010s.
Its wave through time
A revival, back after decades away
In the United States
- 595,215 babies given this name since 1880
- At its height in 1907, about 1 in 105 girls
- 9,451 babies in 2020
Through the ages
Used by
The family of the name
Other spellings: Evelynn, Eveline, Evelin
| French | Éveline |
|---|
Famous bearers
- Evelyn Waugh, English novelist (male bearer)
- Evelyn Glennie, Scottish percussionist
Names worth a look
Where this comes from
- English poll taxes and lay subsidy rolls (13th and 14th centuries)
- United States Social Security birth records, 1880 to today source
- United States Social Security birth records, 1880 to today source
Meanings and histories are compiled from the study of names and their languages and checked by a second review.
Meanings and histories are drawn from the study of names and their languages, each with a confidence rating; popularity figures come from official birth records. Name histories are a living field: if you know of a correction, we would be glad to hear it.