Evan
Evan is a Welsh masculine given name, derived from Iefan, a Welsh form of the name John. Evan can also occasionally be found as a shortened version of Greek names like Evangelos, Evander, or Evandro. While predominantly male, the name is occasionally given to women, as with the actress Evan Rachel Wood.
- Welsh
- English
Meaning & Origin of Evan
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Evan is a Welsh masculine given name, derived from Iefan, a Welsh form of the name John. Evan can also occasionally be found as a shortened version of Greek names like Evangelos, Evander, or Evandro. While predominantly male, the name is occasionally given to women, as with the actress Evan Rachel Wood.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Welsh
- English
The Story of Evan
Evan first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1880, with 22 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2007: 10,295 births, good for #40 nationwide. The 2000s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 32% of all recorded Evans. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #159 among baby boy names with 2,269 births, falling sharply (-36%). In total, more than 290K Evans have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Evan
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Evan. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Evan
Phonetically similar names — useful when Evan is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Evan
What does the name Evan mean?
What is the origin of the name Evan?
How popular is Evan in 2026?
When was Evan most popular?
In which U.S. states is Evan most popular?
Is Evan a unisex name?
What names go well with Evan?
What are nicknames or variants of Evan?
About the name Evan
Evan is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 290K births in the dataset. Evan's peak popularity came in 2007 when it ranked #35. Use the chart and map above to compare Evan's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2007 →
- Names of the 2000s →
- Names starting with "E" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.