Allison writes:
I was wondering if you could do a name to consider post for the name Jevan. jev-an. Basically just Evan with a J in front. I really like the sound of it but I was wondering if it sounds too made up?
Because I know a child named Javon (juh-VAHN), I saw the name and pronounced it similarly (accent on the second syllable: jeh-VAHN). I’m not sure how I would have pronounced it if I didn’t know a Javon (whose name I heard before I saw). We ran into the same issue when we discussed Drewan: some of us saw it as DREW-win, and some of us saw it as dreh-WAN. I see the Social Security Administration has 33 baby Jevans born in 2010; I wish we could find out how they’re pronouncing it.
I like it when an unusual name has an easy way to explain it to others hearing it the first time, and this one has really good ones: “It’s like Evan, with a J in front.” “It’s like Devan but with a J.”
It gives me the same reaction as when I first heard the names Jaron, Joren, and Javon: they don’t sound made-up to me; instead they sound like names from another country or names I just hadn’t encountered before.
What does everyone else think of it?
It doesn’t sound made up to me, either. I would pronounce it like Evan with a J. It’s growing on me the more I think about it!
I saw online that it is a variation pf Jeevan, which means life. It also reminds me of the name Jovan.
I know a toddler named Jevan. I’m not sure how he spells it, in my mind I’ve been thinking Jevin. Like Kevin with a J. I pronounce the end sound of Kevin and Evan almost identically.
Honestly, I had assumed it was made up. Its not unusual to make an honor name by creating a new name, so in my head only I’ve assumed he is named after a dad named Kevin. Plus maybe a mother with a J name or something like that. (I almost never comment on other people’s choices if my comment might be awkward, so even though I like this family I have not asked how it was chosen)
While I don’t personally like it, it doesn’t bother me. Also, as a two syllable name ending in N, it just blends in with the whole Aiden crowd.
I had a student a few years ago named Jeevan (“Gee-van”), so instantly I thought of that pronounciation. He was from a family of East Indian descent.
From the title of the post I thought it would be juh-VAHN.
My friend’s name is Jevan, pronounced like Evan with a J. It is definitely a usable name and with Evan being a common name, I think that spelling it Jevan (Evan with a J) makes it obvious of how to pronounce it.
There is the former Ole Miss football player Jevan Snead, also pronounced “Evan-with-a-J,” so perhaps depending on your region people may already be familiar with it.
I think the only way to clearly use this name with the pronunciation you prefer is to spell it Jevin. The minute the “van” ending is in there, some folks, maybe 50% of them, maybe depending on their background, are going to want to say Ja-VAHN. Unless you don’t mind saying “like Evan but with a J” ad infinitum…..
I grew up with a Jevon, pronounced Jeh-VOHN – he would be in his mid 30s now. He is African-American, and his name was part of the La- Ka- Le- Je- De-, Sha- etc names that were popular in ou generation (LaTasha, Deshawn). Occasionally he would get “Jeven” (rhymes with seven), but most people said pronounced it as above. When I saw the posting, I immediately thought “Jeh-VAHN, yes that’s a name”
I know a 7-year-old Jevan. His parents are Guatemalan, but have lived in Missouri for years. I don’t think his name sounds made-up, but I’ve never heard anyone (myself included) get it correct the first time upon meeting him.
“Hi, Kevin.”
“No. It’s Jevan.”
“Devin?”
“Jevan.”
“Jovanny?”
“Jayyyyy. Vonnnnnn.”
“Oh, ok. Nice to meet you, Kevin.”
I know a couple guys named Juh-VAHN (various spellings, same sound) so I immediately thought it was a name and that it would be pronounced that way. However, growing up, I knew three boys named Devon. One rhymed with Kevin and the other two were Duh-VAHN. Usually, it seemed like it was only a problem the first time someone said their names and then it was fine. I suppose it would matter where you live too. Where I grew up had a large Afro-American population and they tended to think the names were Duh-VAHN but the mostly white teachers in school would always start with Kevin-with-a-D and get corrected.
I would have thought it was with the accent on the second syllable, like Javon. I agree with Gail that spelling it Jevin would help.
I’d initially pronounce it with the stress on the second syllable too. It reminds me of the female name Jehan.
I would have pronounced it JEV-en. But to me it sounds completely made up.
I am 28 and went to high school with a Jevan, pronounced like Evan with a J, but he spelled it Jevin.
I have a cousin named Jevan and have always liked his name.
The name sounds made up to me. That said, there are so many newly created names being used these days, that I suppose a Jevan will blend in fine with the Raidens and Zaidens, etc. For me, spelling the name as Jevin makes the intended pronunciation clearer.
One concern: will the name wear well as he becomes an adult? And another, might he tire of often receiving comments/questions about his name — its spelling, pronunciation, source?
After encountering Eastern European names (which, by the way, I think are pretty awesome), I would pronounce that name Ye-VAHN.
I would have immediately pronounced this name juh-VAHN. I would have also assumed this was an African American name. I simarly filed it in the same “La- Ka- Le- Je- De-, Sha- (LaTasha, Deshawn)” pile of names like AmyRenee did.
I would easily correct my pronounciation with the hint, “It is Evan with a J.” I’d recommend spelling it Jevin.
I really like the Cornish name Jovan, but this one just looks made-up to me.
It doesn’t look made up at all to me, and I don’t know any folks who have it. It looks biblical to me.
My first impression was that it was a made-up name. However, I think it’s a name that people would get used to easily, since it has sounds that are currently popular.
I just stumbled across this blog while doing genealogy research. I have an ancestor named Jevan born in the 1400s in Wales. I haven’t been able to find any other information about the meaning or origin of this name. It is an unusual one!
lol my name is jevan i’m 23 years old live in indonesia. many people keep calling me jepan cause i really like japan and to be honest many people misspelling my name to stefan or jefan
My name is Jevan, pronounced as “Evan with a ‘j’ in front”. Hilariously, that’s how I’ve come to introduce myself.