Evan Explained

Evan
Pronunciation:in Welsh ˈɛvan/
Gender:Male (primarily)
Region:Celtic
Language:English, Welsh
Related Names:John, Jan, Jane, Janez, Jean (male and female), Jhon, Joan, Hans, Juan, João, Johan/Johann, Johanan, Johannes, Jonne, Jovan, Juhani, Yahya, Yohannes, Ivan, Iven, Ifan, Ian, Ioan, Siôn, Siân, Sioned, Siobhan, Seán, Shane, Sinéad

Evan is a Welsh masculine given name, derived from Iefan, a Welsh form of the name John. Similar names that share this origin include Ivan, Ian, and Juan. "John" itself is derived from the ancient Hebrew name (romanised: Yəhôḥānān), meaning "Yahweh is gracious". Evan can also occasionally be found as a shortened version of Greek names like Evangelos and Evander. While predominantly male, the name is occasionally given to women, as with the actress Evan Rachel Wood. It may also be encountered as a surname, although Evans is a far more common form within this context.

Other languages possess words and names ostensibly similar to Evan, such as Eógan in Scottish Gaelic and Irish, Owain in Welsh, and Owen in English. However, these names are altogether different etymologically, generally thought to come from the Greek and Latin word eugenēs, which means "noble" or "well-born".[1]

Popularity

The popularity of the name Evan in the United States had risen steadily in recent decades, going from the 440th-ranked male name in 1957 to peaking at the 35th-ranked male name in 2009. Immediately afterward, however, it began to decline precipitously, dropping out of the top 50 male names in the US by 2013 and out of the top 100 by 2020. Among American males in 2021, the name had less than a third of the popularity it had had in 2010.

Female popularity

While Evan is still predominantly a male name, its use among girls has become increasingly common. Its use in both contexts started to rise in the late 1970s, but in contrast to the steep decline that Evan as a male name saw after 2009, the frequency of Evan as a female name more than tripled as a share of overall use in the same period. By 2021, the name had modestly increased in popularity above its usage in 2010 among American girls.

Evan's popularity as a male name 2000–2021
Year Rank
2021 118
2020 102
2019 96
2018 86
2017 84
2016 69
2015 67
2014 58
2013 55
2012 47
2011 40
2010 36
2009 35
2008 38
2007 40
2006 42
2005 39
2004 39
2003 44
2002 56
2001 56
2000 55
Sources:[2] [3]

People

Given name

Fictional characters

Surname

Popular culture references to the name Evan

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: Morgan, T. J. . Welsh Surnames . Morgan . Prys . University of Wales . 1985 . 172–173.
  2. Web site: Popular Baby Names. Social Security Online. February 27, 2018.
  3. Web site: Baby Name Website. Baby Center. February 27, 2018.

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