Until recently, I’ve always thought of [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] as being strictly feminine, because it just doesn’t quite feel like a boys name to me (and it never did). However, I’ve been warming more and more to it, and, literally minutes ago, I was playing a game in the BNG forum, when I ended up making a combo with [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] in the middle spot for a boy, and I actually think I love it, but I’m a little weary.
A) [name_m]How[/name_m] do you feel about [name_m]Richard[/name_m] [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u]? Does the obviously masculine [name_m]Richard[/name_m] balance out [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] a bit for a boy?
B) [name_f]Do[/name_f] you prefer [name_m]Richard[/name_m] [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u], or [name_m]Richard[/name_m] [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] [name_m]George[/name_m]?
C) What do you think of;
[name_m]Matthew[/name_m] [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u]/[name_m]Matthew[/name_m] [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] [name_u]James[/name_u]
[name_m]Walter[/name_m] [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u]/[name_m]Walter[/name_m] [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] [name_m]George[/name_m]
[name_m]Andrew[/name_m] [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u]/[name_m]Andrew[/name_m] [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] [name_u]James[/name_u]
[name_m]Henry[/name_m] [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u]/[name_m]Henry[/name_m] [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] [name_u]James[/name_u]
[name_m]Louis[/name_m] [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u]/[name_m]Louis[/name_m] [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] [name_u]James[/name_u] ([name_u]Lou[/name_u]-ee).
I like it. The combination flows and balances very well, and I do like [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] as a boys’ middle now that you’ve brought it up. [name_m]Richard[/name_m] works best, I think, but [name_m]Matthew[/name_m] and [name_m]Walter[/name_m] are also good. I’m not a fan of the second middles names, and I don’t like the flow of [name_m]Andrew[/name_m], [name_m]Louis[/name_m], or [name_m]Henry[/name_m] with [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u].
[name_f]My[/name_f] favorite is [name_m]Richard[/name_m] [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u]. I also like [name_m]Henry[/name_m] [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u]. I’m not a love of the others. I’m also not a fan of [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] in a two middle combo. There is something a bit jarring about it.
I’m all for naming babies any name you’d like, and not into keeping names separated by gender. A big trend is naming girls “boy” names, so why can’t the other way work too? Especially with fun ones like [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u].
That being said, when reading your post I immediately thought of the movie “The Producers,” where there is a joke about hitler’s middle name being [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f]… “[name_m]Adolf[/name_m] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] Hitler.” Your child is obviously NOT Hitler but for some reason [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] as a boy’s middle name made me worried a boy would get teased.
The sound of that name is so nice as a middle name that perhaps it would be a bit less lady-like with some revision to its spelling, especially if you can ditch the “y”. Possibly [name_f]Evalin[/name_f], Evelon, Evelen, or something?
Go with your gut though. And [name_m]Richard[/name_m] is a great first name!
I really like [name_m]Richard[/name_m] [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u]. It sounds handsome and strong.
I much prefer [name_m]Richard[/name_m] [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] to [name_m]Richard[/name_m] [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] [name_m]George[/name_m], maybe the initial charm is taken away by the second mn.
I’m not against boys names on girls or [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] on the boy, but your boy will be mistaken for a girl because people would assume you gave boys name ([name_m]Richard[/name_m]) to a girl. If [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] is still boys name in UK, then it’s OK.
I think [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u]'s totally fine in the middle spot. I still think of it as a unisex name myself, so I wouldn’t bat an eyelid at it paired up with a boy’s name first. [name_m]Richard[/name_m] [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] is my favourite as I’m not so keen on the first 3 names and I feel the final ‘ee’ of [name_m]Henry[/name_m] and [name_m]Louis[/name_m] run into it a little (in my pronunciation, at least).
I fail to see how [name_m]Richard[/name_m] [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] would be mistaken for a girl though. [name_m]Even[/name_m] with just the name in front of them, most would automatically assume ‘male’ as the FN is the best gender indicator and most people are still fortunate enough to be blithely ignorant of the ‘classic male names stolen for girls’ trend.
If anyone is assuming I’ve named my daughter [name_m]Richard[/name_m] then I think they’re the one with the problem, and how often are middles used anyways? [name_f]My[/name_f] mum has two and never uses either unless it’s for a legal form or she’s signing something, even then it’s just the initials.
Also - I don’t live in the UK, I’m from [name_f]Canada[/name_f], but I do imagine it has some usage for a boy thanks to Downton [name_u]Abbey[/name_u].
I definitely agree with you on that @charlieandperry1, not to mention, the only boys names on girls I’ve seen here are the pretty well unisex ones - [name_u]Reese[/name_u]/[name_u]Reece[/name_u], [name_u]Madison[/name_u], [name_u]Payton[/name_u]/[name_u]Peyton[/name_u], [name_u]Addison[/name_u], [name_u]Logan[/name_u], etc. [name_u]Logan[/name_u]'s the only one I assumed was a boy (there’s actually 3-4 of them at my old high school now, apparently a few mums all had the same idea in about 1996/1997).
@mckaylalove thank you! Downton [name_u]Abbey[/name_u] is where I saw it, I was actually doing a Downton name game, and using the namebank, I ended up getting the combination of [name_m]Richard[/name_m] [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u]/[name_m]Richard[/name_m] [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] [name_m]George[/name_m].
@jessieo - thank you, it just sounds so regal to me, and incredibly vintage.
@mrs_darling & @findemaxa13 - thank you both, looks like [name_m]Richard[/name_m] [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] is going on my list!
Thank you so much for posting this! I never really considered [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] on a boy before, but it’s on my list because I saw this thread. I do think it’s best as a middle name, though.
I did debate on [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] [name_m]George[/name_m] in the GPs for me, but really, I hate keeping a GP list, and I’m all for calling your kids whatever you want, but [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] as a male first name may be a bit too much, unless Downton [name_u]Abbey[/name_u] makes it come back a little.
I did debate on [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] [name_m]George[/name_m] in the GPs for me, but really, I hate keeping a GP list, and I’m all for calling your kids whatever you want, but [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] as a male first name may be a bit too much, unless Downton [name_u]Abbey[/name_u] makes it come back a little.
I may be a minority, but i dont like it on a boy spelt that way.
[name_m]Richard[/name_m] [name_f]Evalin[/name_f] or [name_m]Richard[/name_m] [name_u]Evan[/name_u] or even [name_m]Richard[/name_m] [name_m]Devlin[/name_m] would be better.
I am in [name_f]Canada[/name_f] and I think [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] is 100% girl here.
[name_m]Richard[/name_m] [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u]
And [name_m]Mathew[/name_m] [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] [name_u]James[/name_u] balance out
Not sure to me these look fine but to me I think of rachel weisz in the mummy which is actually why I love the name so no I wouldn’t use it on a boy but I could see it as a middle on someone
It likely is 100% girl, but that doesn’t make it unusable on a boy, plenty of girls were named [name_u]Michael[/name_u] and [name_u]James[/name_u], and those are still boy names , but [name_f]Evalin[/name_f] is even more feminine looking, and I dislike [name_m]Devlin[/name_m] and [name_u]Evan[/name_u], so [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] is staying.
Downton [name_u]Abbey[/name_u] is where I saw it, I was actually doing a Downton name game, and using the namebank, I ended up getting the combination of [name_m]Richard[/name_m] [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u]/[name_m]Richard[/name_m] [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] [name_m]George[/name_m].