Given name & surname
Evan
“God is gracious”
In Welsh use, Evan carries the interpretation “God is gracious.”
Original WelshIfan
Meaning & origin
What it means
In Welsh use, Evan carries the interpretation “God is gracious.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Welsh.
How it developed
In Scottish use, Evan is used as a form of Eghan. Evan is used as a form of John.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Evan through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 292,426
- 287,701 boys · 4,725 girls
- Most popular year
- 2007
- 10,410 babies
- 2025
- 2,462
- #153 for boys · #3,176 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −38%
- Cooling
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 2,412 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 153 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 38.5% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 10,295 in 2007. It also appeared in 50 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (429). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 254,255 as a first name in 2020; 1,675 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Evan’s family of names
In English usage, Evan has a diminutive in Van. In English usage, Evan shares an earlier linguistic root with Sean. Evan is a form of John.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Evan has relatives in 11 languages. Lines run from its Welsh roots to each of them.
Welshwhere Evan comes from · 1 name
Nicknames & forms 20
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 68
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Jackdoublet · English
- Johndoublet · English
- Iandoublet · English
- Giovannidoublet · English
- Juanequivalent
- Gianniequivalent
- Johnnyequivalent
- Seandoublet · English
Show 52 moreShow fewer
- Johandoublet · English
- Shanedoublet · English
- Joanequivalent
- Shawndoublet · English
- Jeandoublet · English
- Gianequivalent
- Jonequivalent
- Hansequivalent
- Joaoequivalent
- Giannisequivalent
- Johanndoublet · English
- Shaundoublet · English
- Evanafeminine form
- JanPolish
- Yannisequivalent
- Ioannisequivalent
- Yvesequivalent
- Yanniequivalent
- Yiannisequivalent
- Ionequivalent
- Yannequivalent
- Ivoequivalent
- YvanFrench
- Giovanequivalent
- Jehanequivalent
- Ioanequivalent
- Jaanequivalent
- Ebanequivalent
- Hannesequivalent
- Hannsequivalent
- Iwanequivalent
- Ivanoequivalent
- Ioannequivalent
- Joannesequivalent
- Giuànequivalent
- Jónequivalent
- Иванequivalent
- Seánequivalent
- Янкаequivalent
- Johannèsequivalent
- Iwoequivalent
- Honzaequivalent
- Jóhannesequivalent
- Jankaequivalent
- Jógvanequivalent
- Иоаннequivalent
- Evanoequivalent
- Yankaequivalent
- Jóhannequivalent
- Jánosequivalent
- Jóhanequivalent
- Joãoequivalent
And 8 more.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Evan
- Evan Rachel WoodAmerican actressborn 1987
- Evan PetersAmerican actor (born 1987)
- Evan FournierFrench basketball player (born 1992)
- Evan FergusonIrish association football player (born 2004)
- Evan SpiegelAmerican businessman (born 1990)
- Evan WilliamsAmerican technology entrepreneurborn 1972
- Evan LysacekAmerican figure skaterborn 1985
- Evan BayhU.S. Senator from Indianaborn 1955
- Evan GoldbergCanadian screenwriter (born 1982)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Evan, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Keegan
“small and fiery woman” · “a small and fiery man”
90% boys · 10% girls
Aidan
“one who is fiery; little fire” · “a fiery young man”
99% boys · 1% girls
Logan
“from the hollow” · “from the little hollow”
91% boys · 9% girls
Oscar
“a spear of the gods” · “a friend of deer”
>99% boys
Declan
In Irish use, Declan is used as a form of Gaelic.
99% boys · 1% girls
Gavin
“a little white falcon”
>99% boys
Caden
“a battlemaiden” · “spirt of battle •”
99% boys · 1% girls
Dylan
“daughter of the waves” · “son of the sea”
93% boys · 7% girls