Evan
Boy name · Celtic · English · Irish · Welsh
MeaningGod is gracious · Welsh form of John
- US rank
- #153
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #35 in 2009
2,412 babies were named Evan in the US in 2025. It has dropped 48 places in five years.
Found on lists
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million boys, 1880–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Evan you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Evan
Evan Peters
American actor (born 1987)
Choose Evan and your child shares a first name with Evan Peters, an American actor. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Evan, like who?” Evan Peters's Wikipedia article is available in 54 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Evan Peters on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: Cacahuate1995, CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 708 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Evan, 2,412 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Evan would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryEvan has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Evans, and counting.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 2009, when it ranked #35. Today it's #153, so it could be due a comeback.
- Then vs nowEvan was 2.6× more common in 2000 than it is today. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 268 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 708.
- TrendEvan has slipped 48 places over the last five years and now sits at #153. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
- Where it's lovedEvan is most popular in California, where it ranks #91, followed by Maryland (#108) and Alaska (#110). It makes the top 1,000 in almost every state.
- MeaningEvan is a Welsh form of John, which means “God is gracious”. Our records link it to Celtic, English and Irish roots.
About the name Evan
Evan is a boy name of Celtic, English and Irish origin meaning “God is gracious”. It has 4 letters and 2 syllables, starting with E and ending in “-van”. US birth records list Evan for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 2009, when it ranked #35 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #153, with 2,412 babies.
Origin:Celtic namesEnglish namesIrish namesWelsh names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 176 | 5,673 boys |
| 1890s | 164 | 6,092 boys |
| 1900s | 162 | 6,160 boys |
| 1910s | 166 | 6,016 boys |
| 1920s | 137 | 7,293 boys |
| 1930s | 111 | 8,999 boys |
| 1940s | 104 | 9,620 boys |
| 1950s | 147 | 6,804 boys |
| 1960s | 266 | 3,760 boys |
| 1970s | 477 | 2,097 boys |
| 1980s | 1,746 | 573 boys |
| 1990s | 3,054 | 327 boys |
| 2000s | 4,608 | 217 boys |
| 2010s | 3,429 | 292 boys |
| 2020s | 1,641 | 609 boys |
Other spellings of Evan
More Celtic boy names
- Unisex name: Owen · well-born
- Unisex name: Logan · little hollow
- Unisex name: Rowan · little red-haired one
- Unisex name: Nolan · descendant of Nuallán
- Unisex name: Cameron · crooked nose
- Boy name: Ian · God is gracious
- Unisex name: Gael · a Gael
- Boy name: Arthur · possibly bear
Questions about the name Evan
What does the name Evan mean?
Evan means “God is gracious” in Welsh, as a form of John.
What is the origin of the name Evan?
Evan has Celtic, English, Irish, Welsh roots in our records. Other Celtic names include Owen, Logan, Rowan.
Is Evan a boy or girl name?
Evan is a boy name, though a few girls get it too.
How popular is the name Evan?
Evan ranked #153 for US boys in 2025, given to 2,412 babies. Its best year was 2009 (#35).