Evelyn first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Evelyn has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Evelyn

A feminine name of English origin meaning "life" or "wished for child".

Popularity of Evelyn by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Evelyn is more commonly used as a female name, with approximately 100% of people named Evelyn being female.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 9,082 female babies and 8 male babies born with the name Evelyn.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 8 baby boys were named Evelyn in 2023, despite it being a predominantly female name. We'd love to know why!

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 8 9,082
2022 6 9,289
2021 10 9,475
2020 7 9,503
2019 6 10,433
2018 13 10,427
2017 11 10,741
2016 8 10,115
2015 17 9,370
2014 5 8,750
2013 14 7,668
2012 13 6,877
2011 8 6,708
2010 8 5,840
2009 0 5,584
2008 10 5,100
2007 6 5,053
2006 10 4,751
2005 8 4,488
2004 11 3,763
2003 12 3,701
2002 7 3,372
2001 6 2,692
2000 0 2,222
1999 0 1,964
1998 0 1,707
1997 0 1,571
1996 9 1,596
1995 9 1,508
1994 10 1,452
1993 6 1,346
1992 21 1,412
1991 9 1,268
1990 14 1,302
1989 19 1,172
1988 15 1,124
1987 16 1,012
1986 9 1,080
1985 13 1,132
1984 11 1,050
1983 13 1,139
1982 17 1,377
1981 10 1,030
1980 10 861
1979 0 853
1978 0 820
1977 0 833
1976 8 819
1975 5 867
1974 9 941

The history of the first name Evelyn

The name Evelyn has its origins in the ancient French and English languages, deriving from the Germanic name Aveline, which itself is a diminutive form of the name Avila. The root words "avi" or "aval" are believed to mean "desired" or "wished for child" in these old languages.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Evelyn dates back to the 12th century in England, where a Norman heiress named Evelyn de Muncie was documented in records. However, the name gained more widespread popularity in the 17th century, especially after the publication of John Dryden's poem "The Flower and the Leaf" in 1700, which featured a character named Evelyn.

In the realm of historical figures, Evelyn is the name of several notable individuals, including Evelyn Waugh (1903-1966), a renowned English writer and satirist best known for his novels such as "Brideshead Revisited" and "A Handful of Dust". Another famous Evelyn was Evelyn Underhill (1875-1941), an influential English writer on mysticism and Christian spirituality.

The name Evelyn has also been associated with prominent figures in the arts, such as Evelyn De Morgan (1855-1919), a British painter and feminist who was part of the Arts and Crafts movement, and Evelyn Lear (1926-2012), an American operatic soprano who performed with major companies worldwide.

In the field of science and exploration, Evelyn Cheesman (1881-1969) was a British entomologist and explorer who led several expeditions to the Pacific Islands, while Evelyn Boyd Granville (1924-present) is an American mathematician and one of the first African-American women to receive a Ph.D. in mathematics.

Throughout history, the name Evelyn has been associated with a sense of grace, elegance, and refinement, reflecting its French and English roots. Its enduring popularity over centuries can be attributed to its melodic sound and the positive connotations it carries.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Evelyn was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Evelyn, please contact us.

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"Evelyn first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 4, 2024. http://namecensus.com/first-names/evelyn-meaning-and-history/.

"Evelyn first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/evelyn-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 4 November, 2024

Evelyn first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/evelyn-meaning-and-history/.

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