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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Evelina or Evelyn?

36 replies

Pinkmouse2 · 04/12/2023 17:09

Hi All,

We are Greek living in the UK and due to family reasons/a relative, we want to name our daughter either Evelyn or Evelina.

Which one would you prefer?

Evelina is a common and valid name in Greece but in the UK it's associated with the hospital.

Evelyn sounds a bit foreign for Greeks but these days more and more unusual/foreign names are used even in Greece!

We live in the UK for now but God knows what will future bring. We just want and easy, well accepted, straight forward, international name for our DD.

Opinions please.

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user1492757084 · 16/12/2023 08:05

Katrina and Evelina go best.

I also like Eva, Eve and Edna.

eleah · 16/12/2023 04:40

Evelina

LiquoriceAllsorts2 · 16/12/2023 03:40

Katrina and evelina sounds great together.

kitchenwwyd · 14/12/2023 22:14

Evelina definitely goes with Katrina! I prefer Evelina over Evelyn. I had a Greek friend called Evania which is lovely too. Greek names are the best. Evelyn doesn’t sound Greek. I’d go for a Greek sounding name :)
I grew up in London and never heard of the hospital either!

ArsenicInTheAppleTart · 14/12/2023 22:10

Evelina. So pretty. (have never heard of the hospital)

Evelyn is that net curtain twitching nosey neighbour. Not a fan.

Honeyroar · 14/12/2023 22:10

Evelina is lovely. Evelyn sounds elderly. But I’m biased, I had a fabulous horse in Italy called Evelina!

Littlebelina · 14/12/2023 22:07

Hospital for me but hadn't heard of it before we had misfortune to use it - it is wonderful place but not a great time for us (it's guys and st Thomas's children's hospital for those who haven't come across it) so I was going to say go with Evelina. However if you've got a Katrina it might be too similar

Original poster
Pinkmouse2 · 14/12/2023 21:58

If I told you that my DD1 is a Katrina, would you still go for Evelina for DD2?

Wouldn’t Evelyn sound better in this instance?

OP posts:
DesertSnow · 14/12/2023 18:37

Evelina is pretty. I know the hospital but don't think that should put you off.

JustGotToKeepOnKeepingOn · 14/12/2023 17:54

I've never heard of the hospital. Worked in London for years and it's never been mentioned. Evelina is much nicer than Evelyn.

ChainBastard · 14/12/2023 10:45

I adore the Evalina, they were instrumental in saving my child's life.
I think some (though clearly not all) people would associate it with the hospital, and it may not be a pleasant reminder for some of those. But tbf you might know someone who had a horrible Aunt Evelyn, you can't guarantee a name that nobody will have bad associations with.

I'd go with Evalina.

KirstenBlest · 14/12/2023 09:31

Evelina. It makes me think of the hospital, but I don't like Evelyn at all.

If DD1 is something like Marina, Evelina is a bit close. Evie, Eva, Ava, Ivy type names are extremely popular in the UK.

Nineteendays · 14/12/2023 09:05

Evelina is so lovely. I don’t know the hospital (I’m in wales). Evelyn is lovely too but very very popular

DuploTrain · 14/12/2023 09:01

I love Evelina.

I have heard of the hospital through work but it’s not that well known and when I first heard it I thought it was such a pretty name.

Evelyn is nice too but the pronunciation variation puts me off.

ronswansonstache · 14/12/2023 08:58

Evelina is the title of a marvellous book by Frances Burney. It's a beautiful name.

ginteio · 14/12/2023 08:50

Since you are Greek, I would use Evelina to reflect her heritage. Plus Evelina is not such an obscure name for the English language in my opinion. And I prefer Evelina anyways, it sounds more romantic and elegant, while Evelyn sounds really trendy for me.

Original poster
Pinkmouse2 · 05/12/2023 12:19

Quite positive replies for Evelina... very interesting ! I was expecting Evelyn to be the preferred one in the UK...

OP posts:
Scottyme · 05/12/2023 08:02

Evelina is soo much prettier and tbh as your Greek I would just assume it to be a Greek name wouldn't cross my mind about a hospital name tbh I've never heard of.

LiquoriceAllsorts2 · 05/12/2023 06:03

Never heard of the hospital but not in London.

Original poster
Pinkmouse2 · 04/12/2023 22:41

No one?!

OP posts:
Original poster
Pinkmouse2 · 04/12/2023 20:08

Would Evelina put you off if I told you that my DD1 is having a name that ends in -ina too?

Also how would you spell Evelina?

Would that be Eh - veh - Lina or something different?

OP posts:
livingthebeachhutlife · 04/12/2023 19:12

Evelina is really beautiful and has inspired me to put on my short list too.
I know the hospital very well but would never link the two even though its the same name.

minipie · 04/12/2023 19:05

I know an Evelina. I also live in London and have been to the hospital. I never even thought of the hospital when meeting the little girl !! And if I had, it wouldn’t have been a negative. It’s a pretty name

Evelyn is nice but I think of it as a boy’s name really (as it was originally) even though I know it’s now used more for girls.

Desolatewardrobe · 04/12/2023 18:57

I’m surprised how many people have heard of the hospital. We’re in London and when our child was being treated there loads of people thought Great Ormond Street was the only children’s hospital!

I’d go Evelina.

VerbenaGirl · 04/12/2023 18:57

Evelyn is lovely.

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