Evelyn is a given name in the English language, where it can be used as a first name or a surname. The name originally was used as a surname, which derived from Aveline, a feminine Norman French diminutive of the name Ava. Ava itself is a hypocoristic Germanic name, of uncertain origin. Evelyn is also sometimes used as an Anglicisation of the Irish Aibhilín or Éibhleann. Aibhilín (variant Eibhlín) is itself derived from the Norman French Aveline. Éibhleann (variant Éibhliu), on the other hand, is said to be derived from the Old Irish óiph ("beauty"). Variant forms of the feminine first name Evelyn include: Evaline, Evalyn, Eveleen, Evelien, Eveliene, Evelin, Evelina, Eveline, Evelyne, Évelyne and Ewaline. Some of these forms may (also) have arisen as diminutive forms of Eve. People with this first name Women Evelyn M. Anderson (1899–1985), American physiologist and biochemist Evelyn Ankers (1918–1985), American actress Evelyn Ashford (born 1957), America female sprinter, gold medalist of the women's 100 meters running during the 1984 Summer Olympics Evelyn Aswad (fl. 1990s–2020s), American legal scholar and professor at the University of Oklahoma College of Law Evelyn Margaret Ay (1933–2008), American beauty pageant winner (Miss America, 1954) Evelyn Vida Baxter (1879–1959), Scottish ornithologist Evelyn Beauchamp, (1901–1980), daughter of 5th Earl of Carnarvon and one of the first in people in modern times to enter Tutankhamun's tomb Evelyn Berezin (1925–2018), American computer designer best known for designing the first computer-driven word processor Evelyn Booth (1897–1988), Irish botanist Evelyn Brent (1901–1975), American film and stage actress Evelyn Campbell (actress) (1868 – ?), British-born American actress Evelyn Carow (born 1931), German movie editor Evelyn Carrera (born 1971), Dominican Republic volleyball player Evelyn Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire (1870–1960) Evelyn Cheesman (1882–1969), British entomologist and traveller Evelyn Colon, Formerly unidentified American homicide victim Evelyn Colyer (1902–1930), British tennis player Evelyn Magruder DeJarnette (1842–1914), American author Evelyn De Morgan (1855–1919), English Pre-Raphaelite painter Evelyn de Soysa (1893-1973), third woman member of Senate of Ceylon (present-day Sri Lanka) Evelyn Dick (1920-unknown), Canadian convicted murderer Evelyn Dove (1902–1987), British singer and actress Evelyn Everett-Green (1856–1932), English novelist Evelyn Finley (1916–1989), American actress and stuntwoman Evelyn Furtsch (1914–2015), American sprinter Evelyn Gandy (1920–2007), American Lieutenant Governor of the state of Mississippi Evelyn García (born 1982), Salvadorian cyclist Evelyn Gardner (1903–1994), English aristocrat and socialite, and first wife of Evelyn Waugh Evelyn Gigantes (born 1945), Canadian politician and Cabinet Minister Evelyn