Evelyn
Evelyn Origin and Meaning
Evelyn derives from the French feminine given name Aveline, which is from an obscure Germanic root which may mean "desired, wished for" or "water, island". The name Aveline was brought over to England by the Normans, but it first became popular as a masculine name – a transferred use of the surname Evelyn, which comes from the same source. Variations include Evaline, Evalyn, Evelin, and Eveline.
After decades of disuse, soft and feminine Evelyn has returned to the baby name stage in a huge way. It reached the Top 10 for the first time in 2017. Evelyn has now surpassed its former heights, joining a legion of contemporary little Evas, Avas, Eves, Evies, and Evelines. All this despite having returned to the Top 40 for the first time since 1939 less than a decade ago.
Formerly a predominantly masculine name, its most famous bearer is writer Evelyn (EEV-lin) Waugh. (Trivia note: Evelyn Waugh was married to a woman named Evelyn, and they were known as 'He-velyn" and "She-velyn'.) Its quiet persona was reversed with the character Evelyn Salt, played by Angelina Jolie. Bruce Willis chose it for his fifth daughter and Carey Mulligan used it for hers.
- Evelyn Rank in US Top 1000
- Evelyn Rank in Nameberry Top 1000
- Names Similar to Evelyn
- Famous People Named Evelyn
- Evelyn in Pop Culture
- Evelyn in Nameberry Blog Posts
Evelyn Rank in US Top 1000
Evelyn Rank in Nameberry Top 1000
Evelyn Popularity
- 9US2023
- 26Nameberry2024
- 6Future2028
- 22England2022
- 75Scotland2023
- 91Ireland2023
- 19Australia2022
- 12New Zealand2023
- 178Germany2016
- 14Canada2022
- 35Mexico2021
20 Names Similar to Evelyn
Famous People Named Evelyn
- Evelyn AshfordAmerican Olympic sprinter
- Evelyn Margaret AyMiss America 1954
- Evelyn Louise KeyesAmerican actress
- Evelyn Brent (born Mary Elizabeth Riggs)American actress
- Evelyn "Champagne" KingAmerican R&B singer
- Evelyn Elizabeth Ann GlennieScottish percussionist
- Evelyn Beatrice LongmanAmerican sculptor
- (Florence) Evelyn NesbitAmerican model; wife of architect Stanford White
- Ellen Lucille "Evelyn" ThomasAmerican disco singer
- Evelyn StevensAmerican cyclist
- Evelyn LozadaAmerican reality television personality ("Basketball Wives")
- Evelyn Murphy67th Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts
- Evelyn WardAmerican actress; mother of singer David Cassidy
- Evelyn M. WitkinAmerican geneticist
- Evelyn LearAmerican operatic soprano
- Evelyn Masefirst wife of Nelson Mandela
- (Elsie) Evelyn LayeEnglish actress
- Evelyn García (Marroquín)Salvadoran cyclist
- Evelyn O'RourkeIrish broadcaster
- Evelyn VerrasztóHungarian Olympic swimmer
- Evelyn Lee Marie "Everlyn" SampiAustralian actress
- Evelyn Knightknown for her involvement in the Abscam sting operation
- Evelyn KnightAmerican pop singer
- Evelyn Francis McHaleAmerican subject of a 1947 photograph depicting "the most beautiful suicide"
- Evelyn McGeeColbert, wife of TV personality Stephen Colbert
- Evelyn Day Bentley (b. 2008)daughter of singer Dierks Bentley & Cassidy Black
- Evelyn Gabel (b. 2009)daughter of singer Laura Jane Grace & Heather Hannoura
- Evelyn Tierneydaughter of actors Indira Varma and Colin Tierney
- Evelyn Morneau (b. 2010)son of baseball player Justin Morneau
- Evelyn Penn Willis (b. 2014)daughter of actor Bruce Willis
- Evelyn Grace Mumford (b. 2015)daughter of singer Marcus Mumford and actress Carey Mulligan
- Evelyn Renee Flacco (b. 2016)daughter of NFL player Joe Flacco
- Evelyn Mae Forsyth (b. 2020)daughter of reality tv personalities Joy Anna Duggar and Austin Forsyth of “Counting On”
Evelyn in Pop Culture
- Evelyn Robincharacter in "Winnie,the,Pooh" series
- Evelyn Mulwraycharacter in 1974 film "Chinatown"
- Evelyn Saltmain character in film "Salt"
- Evelyn Smytheaudio companion of the Sixth Doctor from Doctor Who
- Evelyncharacter in film "The Ring 2"
- Evelyn "Evie" Carnahancharacter in film "The Mummy"
- Evelyn Gardenercharacter in film "A League of Their Own"
- Evelyn Johnsona main character in 2004 film "Pearl Harbor"
- Evelyn Eatoncharacter in the Divergent Trilogy
- Evelyn Harpercharacter on TV's 'Two and a Half Men'
- Evelyn Vogelcharacter on TV's "Dexter"
- Evelyn "Button" Petersmain character in"The Book of Bright Ideas" by Sandra Kring
- Evelyn Peerbaughcharacter in the 'Sister Circle' series
- Evelyn Couchcharacter in Fannie Flagg's "Fried Green Tomatoes"
- Evelyn "Eva" Lelandcharacter in the Elsie Dinsmore series
- Evelyn "Artemis" SharpCharacter from DC Television Universe's "Arrow"
- Evelyn Ferrarsmother of Juliette Ferrars from Tahereh Mafi's "Shatter me" trilogy
- Crabtree and Evelynretailer of bath and body products
- Evelyn Deavorcharacter in "Incredibles 2"
- Evelyn and Evelyn Nevillefictional conjoined twin sisters portrayed by Amanda Palmer and Jason Webley as a musical duo
- Evelyn Hugomain character of "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo"
Evelyn in Nameberry Blog Posts
- Twin Names: The Ultimate Guide
- Olive or Olivia, Sophie or Sophia?
- Updating Popular 1950s Names
- Old-Fashioned Names Are New Again
- Arbor Day Names: If You Love the Tree but Not the Name
- Top 100 Baby Names Showdown!
- Princess Beatrice's Baby Names: The Name Guru to the Stars Places Her Bets
- Top Baby Names 2023: The Playground Analysis
- Most Popular Girls’ Names 2015
- Where to Find A Cool Vintage Girl Name
- Unraveling the Origins of Evelyn
- 10 Names the Boys Should Steal Back
- Do You *Really* Know What These Names Mean?
- New Girl Names: 11 Fresh Choices
- Popular Twin Names
- What Will Be the Next Liam…and Sophia?
- In Defense of Emma and Ethan: Ten Good Reasons to use a Common Name
- 100 New Names
- Girl Names: Our 100 most popular for 2013 (so far)
- Vintage British Nicknames
- Little Black Dress Names Are Always in Style
- How to Name Your Baby in a Time of Crisis
- 150+ English Names
- Top Baby Names 2021 Announced!
- Top Baby Names 2021: The Playground Analysis
- Edwardian Names Ready to Revive
- Midsummer Baby Names Dazzle and Delight
- Sister Names Share Style
- The Most Popular Baby Name Endings of 2023
- Transforming Top to Uncommon Girl Names
- US vs UK Baby Names: Vive la difference!
- Sibling Names: The Ultimate Guide
- New Irish Names Go Global
- Gorgeous Girl Names Starting with E
- Latest Babyberry Names Are Full of Love
- Popular Names Your Mom Never Heard Of
- The Playground Analysis of the Real Most Popular Names
- The Baby Name Class of 1915
- Top 100 Girl Names of 2014
- New Starbabies born in May: A Future, a Mercy, and two Rivers
- Baby Name Trendlet: Ev-starting names from Eve to Ever to Everest
- Playground Analysis: The REAL Top 50 Names
- Baby Names Trend: Camilla, Willa, Priscilla–the new killer ‘illa’ names
- Old School Nicknames
- Girls’ Names 2012: Nameberry’s Top 100
- Baby Names of 1912: Hester, Chester & Sylvester
- Most Popular Girls’ Names: 130-Year Overview
- Top Baby Names 2022 Announced!
- Vintage Boy Names: How To Find A Cool Old Name
- Scottish Baby Names: What’s hot with the Scots
- Long Baby Names: The Ultimate Guide
- Astrology Names: The Ultimate Guide
- Yes, Millennial Mom Names Can Work for Alpha Era Girls!
- Top Baby Names 2022: The Playground Analysis
- Best New Baby Names in the Top 1000
- Kylie Jenner's Baby Names: The Name Guru to the Stars Weighs In
- Top Baby Names 2020: The Playground Analysis
- 10 Names Going Back to the Boys
- The Top Celebrity Name Trends of 2020
- Southern-Fried Baby Names: Rhett, Scarlett and Savannah
- The Best Baby Name Advice
- Most Popular Names of 2019….so far
- Slightly Different Baby Names: Silas & Sylvie
- Synchronized Sister Sibsets: How to make meaningful connections
- Unique British Baby Names
- Comeback Candidates: Are we ready for babies Gregory, Susan and Mark?
- Most Popular Baby Names 2017
- Most Popular Baby Names 2020…so far
- How I Named My Babies: Wesley Clark, Emma Colleen, Leah Evelyn & Nora Elizabeth
- Unique Baby Names, Nameberry Style!
- Babyberries: Class of 2023!
- Great Medics Inspire Great Baby Names
- The Most Popular Baby Names of the Future
- Gender-Neutral Names: The line continues to blur
- Unisex Names: Toward a Gender-Free Ideal?
- Name Sage: Naming a Sister for Nora Penelope
- 100 Best Baby Names 2021
- Model Baby Names Set New Styles
- Best E Names for Boys
- These Are the Top Names of the 2020s So Far
- Top Baby Names 2023 Announced!
- How I Named My Baby: Maudette Eve
- Children's Books With Names in the Title
- Hawaiian Names: The Ultimate Guide
- Top Baby Names 2019: The Playground Analysis
- Celebrity Names: April Starbaby Predictions
- Names from Books: Edith Wharton’s Gilded Age Names