Pronunciation | /ˈɛvəlɪn, ˈiːvlɪn/ EV-ə-lin, EEV-lin |
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Gender | Unisex |
Origin | |
Word/name | from Norman French; Aveline; from Hebrew Eve; from Old Irish 'óiph' |
Meaning | hazelnut; life; beauty; bird; water |
Region of origin | English language speaking areas, Germany, Estonia, |
Other names | |
Related names | Evelina; Avelina; Aveline; Eve |
Evelyn is a given name, very common in the English language, where it can be used as a first name or a surname.[1]
The name originally was used as a surname, which derived from Aveline, which means "hazelnut" in modern french, but the older origin is a feminine Norman French diminutive of the name Ava.[2] Ava itself is a hypocoristic Germanic name, of uncertain origin.,[3].
Evelyn is also sometimes used as modern variation of the name Eve, which means "life". Other variation is an Anglicisation of the Irish Aibhilín or Éibhleann.[4] Aibhilín (variant Eibhlín) is itself derived from the Norman French Aveline. Éibhleann (variant Éibhliu[1]), on the other hand, is said to be derived from the Old Irish óiph ("beauty"[5]).
Variant forms of the feminine first name Evelyn include: Evaline, Evalyn, Eveleen, Evelien, Eveliene, Evelin, Evelina, Eveline, Evelyne, Évelyne, Ewaline and Ewelina. Some of these forms may (also) have arisen as diminutive forms of Eve.[4][6]