Evelyn
Evelyn is a girl's name of English origin.
Meaning
Desired or wished for; light.
Origin and history
Evelyn originates from the Norman French name Aveline, which was introduced to England after the Norman Conquest. Initially used as a surname and later as a masculine name, it is now predominantly used for females in the United States. It has experienced a massive resurgence in recent years, consistently ranking among the top ten most popular female names in the U.S.
Popularity in the United States
639,756 babies in the United States have been named Evelyn since 1880. It ranks #42 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #9.
States where it is most popular
- NY (8.4 %)
- CA (8.4 %)
- TX (6.8 %)
- PA (5.6 %)
- IL (5.3 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 1,817 |
| 1890-1900 | 5,648 |
| 1900-1910 | 18,603 |
| 1910-1920 | 91,492 |
| 1920-1930 | 124,166 |
| 1930-1940 | 69,364 |
| 1940-1950 | 48,157 |
| 1950-1960 | 38,411 |
| 1960-1970 | 22,582 |
| 1970-1980 | 9,974 |
| 1980-1990 | 10,978 |
| 1990-2000 | 15,128 |
| 2000-2010 | 40,730 |
| 2010-2019 | 86,972 |
| 2020-2029 | 55,734 |
Famous people named Evelyn
- Evelyn Ashford: Olympic Athlete, Sprinter
- Evelyn Keyes: Actress
Nicknames
Evie, Eve, Lyn
Fun facts
- Evelyn transitioned from an English surname to a given name, originally used primarily for boys before becoming overwhelmingly female in modern times.
- After being immensely popular in the early 20th century, Evelyn has seen a dramatic 21st-century comeback, reaching the top 10 in the U.S.