Evelyn is a popular choice in the UK, ranked #20 in 2024. There's a good chance they'll share their name with at least one classmate throughout school.
Origin & Meaning
English/French — Wished for child
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UK Rank 2024
#20
US Rank #8
About the Name Evelyn
Evelyn is holding steady in the rankings at #20. It reached its peak of #13 in 2023 and has maintained consistent levels since — the hallmark of a name with lasting rather than trend-driven appeal. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996. It has featured in the UK top 100 for 18 years, demonstrating solid mainstream recognition.
In terms of origin, Evelyn is rooted in English/French, where it means "Wished for child". Names with strong etymological stories tend to age well — they carry weight beyond fashion cycles.
Evelyn is distinctive enough that your child will likely be the only one in both their class and their school — standing out on every register.
It ranks similarly in the US at #8, suggesting broad transatlantic appeal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Evelyn
Unlikely. With around 1,512 UK babies named Evelyn per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Evelyn in her class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.
Evelyn has held a stable position around #20 for several years. It reached its recorded peak of #13 in 2023 and has maintained consistent levels since — suggesting lasting rather than trend-driven appeal.
The name Evelyn has English/French origins and means "Wished for child". Names with clear etymological roots tend to age well — they carry weight beyond fashion cycles and give children a story to tell about their name.
Notable people named Evelyn include: Evelyn "Champagne" King — Evelyn "Champagne" King is an American singer.; Evelyn Glennie — Dame Evelyn Elizabeth Ann Glennie, is a Scottish percussionist.; Evelyn Welch — Evelyn Kathleen Welch is an American scholar of the Renaissance and Early Modern Period, and the 14th Vice Chancellor of the University of Bristol..
Yes — Evelyn is very popular in the United States, ranked #8 in 2024. It's a transatlantic favourite used widely on both sides of the Atlantic.
1,512
UK babies named Evelyn (2024)
~0.0
Expected classmates with this name (class of 28)
~0.8
In a school of 600
→ Stable
Rank change (last 5 years)
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Evelyn
Likely around 1 other Evelyn in the class
UK Popularity (1996–2024)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
US Popularity (2020–2024)
Rank · SSA official data
✨ Similar names to Evelyn
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
Evelyn "Champagne" King is an American singer. Her first hit was the disco single "Shame", which was released in 1977, at the height of disco's popularity.
Evelyn Kathleen Welch is an American scholar of the Renaissance and Early Modern Period, and the 14th Vice Chancellor of the University of Bristol. She was previously a professor and academic administrator at King's College London, where she served as Interim Principal during 2021.
Evelyn Pierrepont, 1st Duke of Kingston-upon-Hull, was an English aristocrat. He was born at West Dean, Wiltshire, the third son of Robert Pierrepont of Thoresby, Nottinghamshire (son of William Pierrepont ), and his wife Elizabeth Evelyn (daughter of John Evelyn ).
Jorge Perez Evelyn is the stage name of Jorge Perez, an Argentine actor who rose to prominence in the 1980s as the first man-vedette in the famous Corrientes Avenue theatres of Buenos Aires. Until then, being a vedette was a role only reserved for those born women.
Evelyn Ntoko Mase, later named Evelyn Rakeepile, was the first wife of the South African anti-apartheid activist and the future president Nelson Mandela, to whom she was married from 1944 to 1958. Mase was a nurse by profession.
John Evelyn, an English writer, landowner, gardener, courtier and minor government official, has become best known as a diarist. He was a founding Fellow of the Royal Society.