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Evan

♂ Boy

Pronounced EV-an /ˈɛv.ən/High

Meaning: God is gracious — Welsh form of John, from Hebrew <em>Yochanan</em>High

In 30 seconds: The Welsh form of John, carrying the Hebrew meaning 'God is gracious.' Crisp, clean, and universally appealing, Evan has been a steady U.S. top-100 boys' name for decades without ever feeling dated.
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Origin HighWelsh, Hebrew
MeaningGod is gracious — Welsh form of John, from Hebrew <em>Yochanan</em>
Peak year2007
Total births (all-time)≈ 262,222

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 200718802017

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

Evan is the English form of Welsh Ieuan or Ifan, the Welsh rendering of Latin Iohannes, which derives from Greek Iōannēs, from Hebrew Yochanan — meaning 'God is gracious' or 'Yahweh is gracious.' John and all its cognates (Ian, Sean, Evan, Ivan, Johann) share this Hebrew origin.

Evan entered general English use from the 18th century as a Welsh export. In the U.S. it gained steady popularity from the 1950s onward, becoming a top-50 name in the 1990s and 2000s. It is valued for its simplicity — easy to spell, easy to say, and internationally accessible.

Did you know? In Wales, Evan (Iefan/Ifan) is the native Welsh equivalent of John — just as Sean is Irish and Ian is Scottish. All go back to the same Hebrew root.

Variations

EvanIeuanIfanIanIvan

Nicknames

Ev

Famous Bearers

  • ★Evan Peters (b. 1987)
    American actor known for his roles in the <em>American Horror Story</em> series.

If you like Evan…

Owen— another Welsh-origin boys' name with the same clean, accessible sound
Liam— short, popular Irish name with the same effortless cool
Ian— the Scottish equivalent with a similarly crisp two-letter start
Caleb— biblical boys' name with the same pleasant, unforced quality

Frequently Asked

What does the name Evan mean?

Evan is the Welsh form of John, from the Hebrew <em>Yochanan</em> meaning 'God is gracious.'

How do you pronounce Evan?

Evan is pronounced EV-an /ˈɛv.ən/ — two syllables with stress on the first.

Is Evan a boy or girl name?

Evan is predominantly used as a boy's name, though it occasionally appears for girls.

How popular is Evan?

Evan has been in the U.S. top 100 boys' names since the 1990s and remains consistently popular.