Evelyn
Origin
Medieval English form of the Old French female name Aveline, diminutive of the Germanic root avi, of uncertain meaning, possibly "desired, wished for" , or aval "strength". By folk etymology the female name is seen as a diminutive of Eve.
Full definition of Evelyn
Proper noun
Evelyn
(plural Evelyns)- .
- 1855 Robert Browning: Evelyn Hope:Beautiful Evelyn Hope is dead!
Sit and watch by her side an hour. - 1980 Salman Rushdie: Midnight's Children. Alfred A.Knopf 1981. ISBN 0-394-51470-X page 179:"I don't wear flowers," Evelyn Lilith said, and tossed the unwanted chain into the air, spearing it before it fell with a pellet from her unerring Daisy air-pistol. Destroying flowers with a Daisy, she served notice that she was not to be manacled, not even by a necklace: she was our capricious, whirligig Lill-of-the-Hill. And also Eve. The Adam's-apple of my eye.
- , transferred from the surname.