Evelyn Name Meaning, Origin and Popularity
Evelyn is predominantly used for girls. The statistics below show this exact spelling in official U.S. records.
How Do You Spell Evelyn?
Evelyn is spelled E-V-E-L-Y-N. The name has 6 letters.
Evelyn at a Glance
- Usage
- Predominantly used for girls
- Meaning
- Evelyn is commonly understood to mean “desired” or “wished for” based on its roots in Old French and Old English.
- Origin
- The name Evelyn may derive from the Norman French surname Aveline, which likely comes from the Germanic root “avi” meaning desired or wished for.
- Pronunciation
- EV-uh-lin · 3 syllables
Evelyn Popularity in 2025
Rank#8
Recorded Births9,123
Rank#8,910
Recorded Births8
- Girls usage held steady at #8 and recorded 23 fewer births compared with 2024.
- Boys usage rose 2,028 places to #8,910 and recorded 2 more births compared with 2024.
Figures reflect this exact spelling in the latest available U.S. Social Security Administration records. See the complete year-by-year trend.
What Does the Name Evelyn Mean?
Evelyn is commonly understood to mean “desired” or “wished for” based on its roots in Old French and Old English.
Origin: The name Evelyn may derive from the Norman French surname Aveline, which likely comes from the Germanic root “avi” meaning desired or wished for.
How Do You Pronounce Evelyn?
PronunciationEV-uh-lin
Syllables3
What Is the History of the Name Evelyn?
- History
- Evelyn was originally used as a surname before being adopted as a given name. It has been used as a first name primarily for females since the 19th century.
Evelyn Popularity by Year
The table below shows the most recent available records for this exact spelling from 2014 through 2025. Use the full history page to explore every recorded year.
| Year | Usage Category | Recorded Births | National Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Girls | 9,123 | #8 |
| 2025 | Boys | 8 | #8,910 |
| 2024 | Girls | 9,146 | #8 |
| 2024 | Boys | 6 | #10,938 |
| 2023 | Girls | 9,121 | #9 |
| 2023 | Boys | 8 | #8,921 |
| 2022 | Girls | 9,332 | #9 |
| 2022 | Boys | 6 | #10,863 |
| 2021 | Girls | 9,495 | #9 |
| 2021 | Boys | 10 | #7,587 |
| 2020 | Girls | 9,517 | #9 |
| 2020 | Boys | 7 | #9,554 |
| 2019 | Girls | 10,443 | #10 |
| 2019 | Boys | 6 | #10,803 |
| 2018 | Girls | 10,433 | #10 |
| 2018 | Boys | 13 | #6,345 |
| 2017 | Girls | 10,748 | #9 |
| 2017 | Boys | 11 | #7,095 |
| 2016 | Girls | 10,116 | #12 |
| 2016 | Boys | 8 | #8,816 |
| 2015 | Girls | 9,377 | #15 |
| 2015 | Boys | 17 | #5,289 |
| 2014 | Girls | 8,753 | #16 |
| 2014 | Boys | 5 | #12,108 |
When Was Evelyn Most Popular?
Peak years are based on the highest recorded birth totals for this exact spelling and usage category. They are ordered by birth count, not chronologically.
1921 · Girls
14,278 recorded births
National rank #12
1920 · Girls
13,838 recorded births
National rank #12
1918 · Girls
13,493 recorded births
National rank #11
1924 · Girls
13,358 recorded births
National rank #12
Where Evelyn Ranked Highest in 2025
State rankings are calculated separately for girls and boys within each state. The SSA omits state-level names recorded fewer than five times, so low visible counts can still represent a relatively high state rank.
Top States for Girls
| State | Rank | Recorded Births |
|---|---|---|
| MN | #2 | 230 |
| IA | #2 | 117 |
| NE | #2 | 82 |
| VT | #2 | 27 |
| WY | #2 | 19 |
| KS | #3 | 123 |
| ID | #3 | 89 |
| SD | #3 | 39 |