Evelyn is a girl name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Evelyn means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Evelyn across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Evelyn has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Evelyn is a girl name of Germanic origin meaning “of uncertain meaning, possibly desired”. originally a surname derived from Aveline.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 641,662 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 26,742 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 1,062 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 247 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 2,914 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 1,358 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Evelyn per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 1921 (14,308/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 2017 (1,967/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1978 (92/yr) · Scotland peaked in 2023 (56/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 2024 (27/yr).
Evelyn has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 1921, when it ranked #23 nationally (given to 14,308 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1920s.
Evelynn · Evelyne · Evelin · Avalynn · Evelina · Evalyn · Eveline · Avalyn
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