Evanston
A place name derived from John Evans' family name and "town".
Name Census estimates that about 10 living Americans carry the first name Evanston. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Evanston today is around 21 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Evanston births was 2004 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Evanston. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Evanston. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
10
~ 1 in 34,275,434 Americans
Peak year
2004
5 babies that year
Average age
21
years old
2006 SSA rank
#12,633
Tracked since 2004
Popularity
Evanston: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Evanston 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 Evanston during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 10 | 0 | 10 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Evanston
The name Evanston is not a traditional given name but rather a place name, specifically a city in Illinois, United States. It does not have a direct linguistic origin or etymology as a personal name.
Evanston was founded in 1863 and named after John Evans, one of the founders and early benefactors of Northwestern University, which is located in the city. Evans was a prominent figure in the area and played a significant role in the development of the region.
While Evanston is not a traditional given name, there are a few notable individuals who have adopted it as their first name, likely inspired by the city or as a unique choice. However, these instances are relatively rare and do not have a significant historical context or usage.
It is worth noting that some parents may choose to use place names, such as Evanston, as unique given names for their children, but this practice is relatively modern and does not have a long-standing historical tradition or widespread usage.
In summary, Evanston does not have a rich historical background or etymology as a given name. It is primarily associated with the city in Illinois and its connection to John Evans, rather than being a traditional personal name with linguistic origins or cultural significance.
People
Evanston + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Evanston 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
Evanston: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Evanston?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 10 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Evanston 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 34,275,434 US residents.
Is Evanston a common name?
We classify Evanston as "Very Rare". It ranks above 28.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 10 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Evanston most popular?
The single biggest year for Evanston was 2004, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Evanston is about 21 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Evanston in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Evanston a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Evanston in the SSA data are male. 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.
Is Evanston still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Evanston in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Evanston can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are named Evanston?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.