Evelyn
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…
Every Evelyn since 1880 — 641,662 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Evelyn
Evelyn is a top-10 name for girls in the United States, ranked #8 in 2025 with 9,123 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 641,662 American babies have been named Evelyn. Its peak came in 1921, when 14,308 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Evelyn stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Evelyn year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 9,123 | #8 | 8 | #9,161 |
| 2024 | 9,146 | #8 | 6 | #11,348 |
| 2023 | 9,121 | #9 | 8 | #9,177 |
| 2022 | 9,332 | #9 | 6 | #11,293 |
| 2021 | 9,495 | #9 | 10 | #7,774 |
| 2020 | 9,517 | #9 | 7 | #9,876 |
| 2019 | 10,443 | #10 | 6 | #11,196 |
| 2018 | 10,433 | #10 | 13 | #6,458 |
| 2017 | 10,748 | #9 | 11 | #7,241 |
| 2016 | 10,116 | #12 | 8 | #9,103 |
| 2015 | 9,377 | #15 | 17 | #5,362 |
| 2014 | 8,753 | #16 | 5 | #12,653 |
| 2013 | 7,670 | #20 | 14 | #6,010 |
| 2012 | 6,880 | #27 | 13 | #6,424 |
| 2011 | 6,709 | #24 | 8 | #9,003 |
| 2010 | 5,843 | #39 | 8 | #9,054 |
| 2009 | 5,584 | #40 | — | — |
| 2008 | 5,101 | #54 | 10 | #7,875 |
| 2007 | 5,054 | #55 | 6 | #11,378 |
| 2006 | 4,751 | #65 | 10 | #7,601 |
| 2005 | 4,490 | #71 | 8 | #8,531 |
| 2004 | 3,763 | #84 | 11 | #6,682 |
| 2003 | 3,701 | #88 | 12 | #5,988 |
| 2002 | 3,372 | #98 | 7 | #8,743 |
| 2001 | 2,691 | #126 | 6 | #9,652 |
| 2000 | 2,223 | #150 | — | — |
| 1995 | 1,508 | #196 | 9 | #6,073 |
| 1990 | 1,302 | #220 | 14 | #4,040 |
| 1985 | 1,132 | #229 | 13 | #3,471 |
| 1980 | 861 | #288 | 10 | #3,931 |
| 1975 | 868 | #280 | 5 | #5,738 |
| 1970 | 1,466 | #216 | 9 | #3,359 |
| 1965 | 2,003 | #176 | 6 | #3,661 |
| 1960 | 3,219 | #137 | 9 | #2,939 |
| 1955 | 3,805 | #112 | 18 | #1,864 |
| 1950 | 4,275 | #86 | 10 | #2,485 |
| 1945 | 4,377 | #57 | 13 | #1,957 |
| 1940 | 4,982 | #48 | 24 | #1,378 |
| 1935 | 6,560 | #31 | 31 | #1,210 |
| 1930 | 9,536 | #19 | 50 | #961 |
| 1925 | 12,505 | #12 | 36 | #1,189 |
| 1920 | 13,838 | #12 | 24 | #1,559 |
| 1915 | 11,595 | #10 | 24 | #1,384 |
| 1910 | 3,777 | #17 | 14 | #833 |
| 1905 | 1,661 | #46 | 10 | #805 |
| 1900 | 1,116 | #70 | 7 | #1,083 |
| 1895 | 630 | #87 | — | — |
| 1890 | 316 | #125 | — | — |
| 1885 | 191 | #131 | — | — |
| 1880 | 122 | #133 | — | — |
Famous people named Evelyn
- Evelyn Waugh Writer · 1903–1966
- Evelyn De Morgan Painter · 1855–1919
- Evelyn McHale Celebrity · 1923–1947
- Evelyn Keyes Actor · 1916–2008
- Evelyn Beatrice Hall Writer · 1868–1956
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Evelyn mean?
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”.
How popular is the name Evelyn in 2025?
Evelyn ranked #8 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 9,123 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Evelyn?
641,662 babies have been named Evelyn in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Evelyn most popular?
Evelyn peaked in 1921, when 14,308 newborns received the name.
Is Evelyn a boy or girl name?
Evelyn is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Evelyn rising or falling?
Evelyn is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Evelyn?
Well-known people named Evelyn include Evelyn Waugh (writer), Evelyn De Morgan (painter), Evelyn McHale (celebrity).