The baby name Ever has gone from obscure possibility to fast-rising favorite.
Thanks to Lauren for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day.
WHAT DOES THE NAME EVER MEAN?
Let’s begin with the vocabulary word.
With Old English roots, æfre simply means “always.” The word’s exact origins remain murky, but it main come from a longer phrase meaning “ever in life” or, more poetically, “evermore.”
Poets contract Ever to e’er, but the word is remarkably unchanged across the centuries.
Ever endures.
But is it just another word name borrowed from the dictionary in recent years?
Maybe not.
OLD TESTAMENT NAME
The Old Testament mentions the name Hebrew name Eber more than once, and Heber, too.
Eber is the great-great-grandson of Noah. There’s a story that Eber refused to help build the Tower of Babel, and thus preserved the Hebrew language. Hebrew might come from his given name, though there’s lively debate on the issue.
The Book of Genesis mentions a separate figure by the name, as does the New Testament. Sometimes the names are spelled Chéver or even Ever.
GERMANIC ROOTS OF EVER
Names like Everly come from the Old English eofor – wild boar.
It’s a common element in long-forgotten names from the Middle Ages like Everar, and it’s heard in German, too, in names like Everich.
Surnames like the Germanic Eberhard are boar names, too. Eberhard became Everardus in Latin, Everard in English, and finally, it’s the source of Everett, that popular favorite for our boys.
IRISH NAME EVER
In Irish myth, Eimhear or Emer is the accomplished wife of Cu Chulainn. It doesn’t sound exactly like the baby name Ever … but it’s close.
The name likely comes from eimh – swift.
EVER AS A SURNAME NAME
Surnames suggest even more possibilities.
The English name Evers might’ve been given to someone who lived at the edge of a hill.
Evert and Everts, too, could’ve led to the baby name Ever. In those cases, they’re Germanic and refer back to the wild boar.
And Ever, all by itself, is sometimes a surname. Ita Ever, a native of Estonia, went on to become a major stage, television, and movie star in her native country and elsewhere in Eastern Europe.
HOW DID EVER BECOME A GIVEN NAME?
And so we answer the question of the name Ever’s origins with highly unsatisfying question mark.
But whether it’s Hebrew, Gaelic, Old English, or something else, it’s clear that this name has history.
In fact, it was used in small numbers for generations – long before the current word name trend.
That said, the name Ever was rare in the second half of the twentieth century. Actor Robert Carradine, of the famous Hollywood family, welcomed daughter Ever way back in 1974. She’s now an actress in her own right. You might know her from The Handmaid’s Tale.
Speaking of famous families, Milla Jovovich and Paul WS Anderson are parents to three girls: Ever Gabo, Dashel Edan, and Osian Lark Elliot. When asked about Ever’s name, she explained they chose it to reflect Paul’s Scottish heritage. Ever Anderson is, like her famous mother, also pursuing an acting career.
Singer-songwriter Alanis Morrisette gave the name to a son in 2010. She and Mario “Souleye” Treadway are also parents to daughter Onyx and son Winter.
HOW POPULAR IS THE NAME EVER?
It’s easy to dismiss the baby name Ever as a modern word name, a sister for Legend or a brother for Promise.
But there’s much more to this name, and the data bears that out.
As a girl’s name, Ever first appears in the United States records way back in 1888, when five girls received the name. It continued to be used in small numbers – 8 this year, a dozen the next. It was enough to push the baby name Ever into the US Top 1000 for girls twice, in 1893 and again in 1901.
It’s always been a gender-neutral name.
Turning to baby boy names, Ever debuted in the US data in 1916, with five births, and remained less common for our sons than our daughters for many years.
That’s changed, though.
As of 2023, 205 boys and 126 girls received the name.
With words like River, Legacy, and Reign in favor for boys and girls alike, Ever fits right in.
SIMILAR-SOUNDING NAMES
It also helps that the baby name Ever sounds like so many current favorites. Popular names Everly, Evelyn, Evan, and Everett all open doors for Ever.
When it comes to baby girl names, middle Vs are everything. Olivia holds the #1 rank for girls’ names in the US, with Ava not far behind. Then again, we love Oliver and Levi for boys.
SPARE AND BOLD
Easily pronounced and spelled, there’s something deceptively simple about the baby name Ever.
It’s unisex and modern. But it connects to many an older name, too.
And it’s easy to imagine Ever suiting a child of any personality – a dreamer or a rebel. Someone outgoing or someone who hangs back a bit. It’s endlessly rich with potential, and yet it’s not too much to live up to, either.
Call it a twenty-first century virtue name, a bold and romantic choice that’s surprisingly easy to wear, too.
What do you think of the baby name Ever?
First published February 25, 2011, this post was revised substantially and re-published on March 1, 2023 and again on March 4, 2025.
Is Everlyn a real spelling for Evelyn, or is that made up? I am deaf and never knew Evelyn is pronounced like Everlyn. I follow a deaf family on IG, and parents explained how their little girl got the name Everlyn because it was one of few names they could pronounce correctly. Everlyn ended up being born deaf and they decided to name her the name they had chosen anyway. It’s a sweet story.
I named my 14-year-old daughter Eimhear, and pronounce it Ever. I found it in an Irish baby name book, and fell in love with it.
Great word name. Would be a great way to honor a female relative named Eve, Eva, Evelyn or Evangeline.
Oh, just a quick question: Did you actually mean “wild board”, or was that supposed to read “wild boar”?
Thank you, Charlotte – definitely boar!
I really like Ever. I am not sure if I would have the guts to use it as a first name, but it would make a lovely middle name. I do like Ever a lot, glad to see it as a name of the day!
I was cringing when getting ready to read the comments, because I thought this name would garner more criticism than it has. Whew…letting my breath out…because I really like this name. I like the feeling that the word Ever evokes; I like the way it almost begs the question of ever what. That’s what makes it great. I put this in the category along with Ernest/Earnest because of how both names/words make me feel–although I obviously wouldn’t name a sibset that! I like Ever much better on a girl but see how it could go either way.