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A classic and traditional Welsh name
which sounds upbeat and lively.
Origin: |
Evan is Anglicised form of Ifan, which is itself a Welsh form of John. Evan's morphology is a convoluted but interesting one. It begins with the Hebrew Yehochanan meaning "Yahweh is gracious." It became Ioannes in Greek and Johannes in Latin, and developed into Ieuan in Welsh. Around the fourteenth century, Ieuan became written as Iefan and Ifan which was anglicised as Ievan, Yevan and Jevan. The spelling Evan dates from the late 15th century. |
Usage: |
Evan is one of the few Welsh names to have endured and maintained constant usage since the Middle Ages. It was not only used in Wales but also neighbouring English counties. The Shropshire Poll Tax of 1381 lists three men named Eyvyn for example, alongside other anglicised Welsh names such as Madok and Griffin. There are a multitude of surnames which derive from the name and attest to its continued use, including Evans, Bevan, Yevan, Evins, Heaven and Jevan. In an analysis of first names from the 1851 Glamorgan census, Evan rank at #6 in the Top 50 male names after John, William, Thomas, David and James, making it the most popular "Welsh" name at the time. Among men aged 51 and over (those who were born in the 18th century) it was even more common, ranking at #5. Ianto was long used as a diminutive in Wales for Evan, Iefan, Ifan and Ioan. In recent years it is often used as a name in its own right. On the 1881 census, Evan was the 135th most frequent name (including both male and female). Data shows that, although Evan was very popular in Wales, it was also in use in England, Scotland and the Isle of Man. It was very common in Wales in the 18th and 19th century.In England and Wales combined Evan gradually declined in use over the course of the 19th century, eventually leaving the Top 100 in the 1920s. 1870: #47
Its revival was sooner in Wales individually entering the Top 100 in 1997 and swiftly climbed up the ranks, finally reaching #16 in 2009. In 2012, Evan ranked #86 in England and Wales, #27 in Wales, #99 in England and #77 in Scotland. |
Famous Bearers: |
History: * Evan Roberts (1861–1927), Wales international rugby player. Contemporary: * Evan Williams (b. 1972), founder of Twitter. Literature and Other Media: * Evan Almighty (2007), movie. |
Variants: |
Ifan, Iefan |
Pronunciation: |
EV-ən [key] |
Possible diminutives |
Ianto |
Sibling Names: |
Carys Lucy Niamh Skye Grace Amy |
Name Lists: |
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Thanks to Donna for requesting this post.