Evangela
A feminine name of Greek origin meaning "bearer of good news".
Name Census estimates that about 272 living Americans carry the first name Evangela. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Evangela today is around 52 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Evangela births was 1969 (17 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Evangela. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
272
~ 1 in 1,260,126 Americans
Peak year
1969
17 babies that year
Average age
52
years old
2012 SSA rank
#13,954
Tracked since 1957
Popularity
Evangela: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Evangela from the 1950s through to the 2010s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 109 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1970s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Evangela by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Evangela during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Evangela
The name Evangela is derived from the Greek word "evangelion," which means "good news" or "gospel." Its origins can be traced back to the early Christian era, when the word was used to refer to the teachings of Jesus Christ and the message of salvation that his followers sought to spread.
In its earliest form, the name Evangela was likely used as a feminine variant of the masculine name Evangelus or Evangelius, which were derived from the same Greek root. These names were given to children born into Christian families as a way of honoring their faith and expressing their commitment to the gospel message.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Evangela can be found in the writings of Saint Jerome, a 4th-century Christian scholar and translator of the Bible. He mentions a woman named Evangela in one of his letters, though little is known about her beyond her name.
In the Middle Ages, the name Evangela gained popularity in various parts of Europe, particularly in regions with strong Christian traditions. It was sometimes used as a shortened form of the name Evangelina or Evangelista, which were also derived from the Greek word "evangelion."
One notable figure who bore the name Evangela was Evangela Merici, an Italian religious leader who founded the Order of Ursulines in the 16th century. She was born in 1474 and is recognized as a saint by the Catholic Church for her work in promoting education for girls and women.
Another Evangela of historical significance was Evangela Caravaggio, an Italian painter who lived in the 16th and 17th centuries. She was a follower of the renowned artist Caravaggio and is known for her religious paintings and portraits.
In the 19th century, the name Evangela was particularly popular in Greece and other parts of the Eastern Orthodox Christian world. One notable bearer of the name from this era was Evangela Ducaina Stratigo, a Greek poet and writer who lived in the late 19th century and was known for her works celebrating Greek culture and history.
Another notable Evangela from this time period was Evangela Orlov, a Russian philanthropist and social reformer who worked to improve the lives of women and children in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
While the name Evangela has its roots in the Christian tradition, it has been used by people of various faiths and cultural backgrounds throughout history. It remains a relatively uncommon name in many parts of the world, but its connection to the concept of "good news" and the gospel message has ensured its enduring significance and appeal.
People
Evangela + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Evangela as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with E
Other first names starting with E with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Evangela: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Evangela?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 272 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Evangela going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 1,260,126 US residents.
Is Evangela a common name?
We classify Evangela as "Very Rare". It ranks above 78.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 310 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Evangela most popular?
The single biggest year for Evangela was 1969, when 17 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Evangela is about 52 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Evangela a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Evangela in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.