Etymology & Historical Origin of the Baby Name Eve

Eve is one of the most recognizable names in the Western World; she was the first woman created on earth in Genesis 2:22, from Adam’s ribs (hey, it’s better than being formed out of “the dust from the ground” as Adam was). The name from the Bible is derived from the Hebrew word “Havva” which means “living, animal”. Adam names Eve himself in Genesis 3:20: “The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.” Eve is also notable for her major faux pas in the Garden of Eden, when she listened to that pesky serpent and ate a piece of forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil (despite God’s clear instructions not to). Ok, so maybe “faux pas” is an understatement. This act got Adam and Eve expulsed from the Garden and the rest is biblical history. It is for this reason that the name Eve was not heavily used in medieval times; her naughty act was seen as too off-putting for the average folk. It really wasn’t until the 19th century that English-speakers and other Europeans finally embraced this “Mother” of all names. Eve and Ève are generally considered the English and French form of the name, while Eva is the Biblical Latin form used widely as well (particularly among Germans, Scandinavians and Slavs). Chava and Hava are the Hebrew forms while other variations include Hawa (Arabic), Yeva (Russian), Ewa (Polish), Éabha (Gaelic) and Efa (Welsh). Evie is the darling English diminutive. Today, Eve is a Top 100 favorite girl’s name in Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Australia.

All About the Baby Name – Eve

Personality

OF THE GIRL NAME EVE

The number Five personality loves the excitement of life and can easily adapt to all situations. As natural adventurers, these personalities thrive on the new and unexpected and prefer to be in constant motion. It makes them feel alive. They'll stir up some action if there's not enough around, and as inherent risk-takers they enjoy pushing the envelope. Naturally rebellious, the Five personality has no fear and never resists change.  Traveling and new experiences feed their souls. Fives are very social and attract friends with ease. People love to be around the Five fun-loving and exciting energy.  This is also a lucky number in numerology (like the Threes), so fortune seems to shine on them, helped along by their own optimism and good-nature. Fives have a quick wit, a cerebral mind, and are generally very persuasive. 

Popularity

OF THE GIRL NAME EVE

The name Eve dates back to at least the late 19th century in America. For the past 100 years, the name’s popularity has been low to mild at best. In fact, Eve disappeared completely from the charts during the mid-1980s up through the late 1990s during which time she was nowhere to be found. We would have expected to see greater historical success with a name like Eve. At least she’s back now (but still on the lower end of moderation). She’s living in the shadows of Ava (a somewhat related name). Even Eva is a Top 100 favorite, but the one-syllable Eve is still pretty neglected. Eve could also be considered a short form for names like Evelyn and Evangeline but these two names have different etymologies. In our opinion, Eve is a timeless ancient classic. It’s also underused and therefore more original than Ava or Eva. Eve is strong (if a bit rebellious) and confident while retaining a humble and unpretentious quality. And Evie is one of the cutest pet forms out there. Despite Eve’s rather, um, disobedient behavior in the Bible, God still loved her and so do we!

Quick Facts

ON EVE

GENDER:

Girl

ORIGIN:

English

NUMBER OF SYLLABLES:

1

RANKING POPULARITY:

490

PRONUNCIATION:

EEV

SIMPLE MEANING:

Mother of all living

Characteristics

OF EVE

Freedom-loving

Adventurous

Adaptable

Intellectual

Easygoing

Progressive

Sensual

Cultural References to the Baby Name – Eve

Literary Characters

OF THE BABY NAME EVE

Eve Harrington is the delicious titular villainess in the 1950 film, All About Eve, based on Mary Orr’s 1946 short story, “The Wisdom of Eve”. Starring Anne Baxter, the movie was nominated for 14 Academy Awards, a record it held until 1997’s Titanic. Eve is a formidably ambitious, young, aspiring actress who insinuates her way into the life of aging Broadway star Margo Channing. (And by aging, they – not we – mean “40”!). This she does by obsequious devotion and flattery, appearing sweetly naive and star-struck, all the while plotting her ascension to Margo’s throne. Along the way, she sabotages Margo’s career, her friendships and her relationship with her fiancé. All in all, quite a coup. At movie’s end, Eve seems to have won it all, however, she has her own “Eve” waiting in the wings, ready to pull the same trick on her, and we are given to understand that Eve will get her comeuppance. She is indeed a worthy heiress of her early namesake, the Biblical Eve.

Childrens Books

ON THE BABY NAME EVE

We cannot find any childrens books with the first name Eve


Popular Songs

ON EVE

Adam and Eve
a song by Paul Anka

Eve
a song by Jimmy Somerville

I Am Eve
a song by the Mediaeval Baebes

Letter to Eve
a song by the Indigo Girls

Ten Houses of Eve
a song by The Fall

Silent Eve
a reggae song by Yah-man

Famous People

NAMED EVE

Eve (singer)
Eve Arden (actress)
Eve Plumb (actress)
Ève Salvail (Canadian model)

Children of Famous People

NAMED EVE

We cannot find any children of famous people with the first name Eve

Historic Figures

WITH THE NAME EVE

According to the Bible, Eve has the important distinction of being the first woman who ever existed, thus securing her position as the ultimate matriarch of all Homo sapiens. She was created in the Garden of Eden by God from the rib of Adam (hopefully assisted by an anesthesiologist for Adam’s sake). God presided over the young couple’s union in what we might consider the ultimate “garden” wedding, and He instructs them to go forth and “be fruitful and multiply”. At first, Adam and Eve basked in the glory of their Paradise “naked and unashamed” (Genesis 2:25); although God does instruct Adam not to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. We wonder if Adam shared this bit of advice with Eve? Enter talking serpent, first nemesis to humankind, who approaches Eve with his Jedi mind tricks and convinces her to eat the fruit from the Tree. After all, what’s the harm of a little knowledge? Eve shrugs, grabs an apple, takes a bite and hands it to Adam. Adam, by the way, takes the second bite, so he’s no beacon of obedience himself. Yet poor Eve has always gotten most of the blame for both of their indiscretion. The rest is history. As punishment, God expels them from Eden and makes life more difficult for them. Forevermore, women would be forced to bear labor pains in childbirth and man would have to labor hard for food. Now that Adam and Eve and their offspring are equipped with the knowledge of evil, the world basically goes to hell in a hand basket until God sends the great flood sparing only Noah and his peeps.

According to the Bible, Eve has the important distinction of being the first woman who ever existed, thus securing her position as the ultimate matriarch of all Homo sapiens. She was created in the Garden of Eden by God from the rib of Adam (hopefully assisted by an anesthesiologist for Adam’s sake). God presided over the young couple’s union in what we might consider the ultimate “garden” wedding, and He instructs them to go forth and “be fruitful and multiply”. At first, Adam and Eve basked in the glory of their Paradise “naked and unashamed” (Genesis 2:25); although God does instruct Adam not to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. We wonder if Adam shared this bit of advice with Eve? Enter talking serpent, first nemesis to humankind, who approaches Eve with his Jedi mind tricks and convinces her to eat the fruit from the Tree. After all, what’s the harm of a little knowledge? Eve shrugs, grabs an apple, takes a bite and hands it to Adam. Adam, by the way, takes the second bite, so he’s no beacon of obedience himself. Yet poor Eve has always gotten most of the blame for both of their indiscretion. The rest is history. As punishment, God expels them from Eden and makes life more difficult for them. Forevermore, women would be forced to bear labor pains in childbirth and man would have to labor hard for food. Now that Adam and Eve and their offspring are equipped with the knowledge of evil, the world basically goes to hell in a hand basket until God sends the great flood sparing only Noah and his peeps.

According to the Bible, Eve has the important distinction of being the first woman who ever existed, thus securing her position as the ultimate matriarch of all Homo sapiens. She was created in the Garden of Eden by God from the rib of Adam (hopefully assisted by an anesthesiologist for Adam’s sake). God presided over the young couple’s union in what we might consider the ultimate “garden” wedding, and He instructs them to go forth and “be fruitful and multiply”. At first, Adam and Eve basked in the glory of their Paradise “naked and unashamed” (Genesis 2:25); although God does instruct Adam not to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. We wonder if Adam shared this bit of advice with Eve? Enter talking serpent, first nemesis to humankind, who approaches Eve with his Jedi mind tricks and convinces her to eat the fruit from the Tree. After all, what’s the harm of a little knowledge? Eve shrugs, grabs an apple, takes a bite and hands it to Adam. Adam, by the way, takes the second bite, so he’s no beacon of obedience himself. Yet poor Eve has always gotten most of the blame for both of their indiscretion. The rest is history. As punishment, God expels them from Eden and makes life more difficult for them. Forevermore, women would be forced to bear labor pains in childbirth and man would have to labor hard for food. Now that Adam and Eve and their offspring are equipped with the knowledge of evil, the world basically goes to hell in a hand basket until God sends the great flood sparing only Noah and his peeps.