NameChart

Evelyn

Girl name

Evelyn has been given to 641,662 babies in the U.S. since 1880. It peaked in 1921 and currently ranks #8 for girls (2025).

Meaning & origin /ˈɛvəlɪn/

From Middle English forms of the Old French female name Aveline, diminutive of the Germanic root *avi-, of uncertain meaning, possibly “desired, wished for“ (compare Latin avēre, "to wish for") or aval “strength”. By folk etymology also misunderstood as a diminutive of the feminine given name Eve, q.v. Doublet of Eileen. Also compare Ava.

Origin: Germanic languages

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Popularity over time births per year, 1880–2025

03.57k7.139k10.709k14.278k 18801900192019401960198020002020 Girls Boys
Hover or tap the chart to read any year.

Total babies

641,662

Peak year

1921 (14,308 babies)

Rank in 2025

#8 for girls

First recorded

1880

10-year trend

▼ -3%

Gender split

100% girls / 0% boys

Famous people named Evelyn

Angela Bassett

American actress (born 1958)

Margot Fonteyn

British ballerina

Estée Lauder

American businesswoman (1906–2004)

Evelyn Beatrice Hall

English writer

Notability data from Wikidata (CC0).

Names with a similar vibe

Same primary gender, peaked around the same years, and roughly as common as Evelyn.

Get new name insights first

Occasional updates when we add new data & tools. No spam, unsubscribe anytime by replying to any email or writing to hello@zalize.com.

By subscribing you agree to our privacy policy. We store only your email address and the date you signed up.