Hi Swistle,
My husband and I are expecting our third and final baby, a boy, at the end of May. We have two daughters, Sasha and Rose, and our last name is a three syllable Russian name that starts with T and ends with -sky and rhymes with absolutely nothing.
We have a horrible time agreeing on names; in fact, the only reason we found out the gender of this baby was to eliminate the potential pool of names by 50%. I prefer names that are familiar enough that most people can spell them correctly, but are not so popular that there will be several of them in my child’s kindergarten class. I also prefer names that cross racial/cultural/international boundaries. While we didn’t quite accomplish this with Rose (and her naming story is better left for a different time as her original name involved a lot of regret, tears, and several hundred dollars worth of attorney’s fees for a legal name change), we absolutely love her name and it suits her perfectly.
My husband’s taste is all over the place, so at this point, we have only one name that we both agree on and love….Evander. We even both agree on James for a middle name as Evander James just “sounds good” together. I love the meaning of the name, and I love that there are endless nickname possibilities, from Van to EJ to the more traditional Evan or Andy (if he prefers). So while we both love this name, I do want to take into consideration the response that my son will receive, and as such there are a few things making me second guess this choice:
1. Why isn’t this name used more often? It seems like the perfect combination of the very popular Evan and Alexander, and it is derived from the Greek name Evandros meaning “good man” or “strong man.”
2. Will everyone immediately think of Evander Holyfield? We are a family of pale redheads, so I worry that people will hear his name, think of Evander Holyfield, and then look back to my son and think, “huh?” My husband argues that the younger generations will not be as familiar with the boxer and therefore will not immediately associate the name with him. We don’t think that it’s a bad association, and as I mentioned above, I like names that cross cultural boundaries, but I just wonder if Evander is TOO much of a namesake, like Oprah or Madonna?
Thank you in advance for your help! Unfortunately this name is so uncommon (and that’s not necessarily a bad thing) that I haven’t had much luck uncovering the reasons why parents shy away from this name.
Fondly,
Lindsay
It’s mysterious, isn’t it? I’m not sure why, either.
I wonder if part of it is pronunciation. When I see Evan-, I want to start with EV-an, but then I catch myself: no, wait, it’s e-VAN in this case. That hesitation is so small, and yet I think that’s the sort of thing that can make a parent decide not to add a name to a list.
Part of it is going to be that most people have only one association with the name. I think if there were even just one more celebrity named Evander, the association would be diluted enough that parents wouldn’t feel so much as if they were naming the child “after” Evander Holyfield. Time helps to dilute the association as well: I immediately came up with Evander Holyfield, and I knew he was an athlete, but I didn’t remember “boxer” and I didn’t have a face to go with the name.
I’m curious to see how the popularity of the name has changed over time:
1963: –
1968: –
1973: –
1978: –
1983: –
1988: 16
1993: 40
1998: 37
2003: 32
2008: 40
2013: 75
I looked up Evander Holyfield on Wikipedia, and it looks as if he was pretty famous by 1984. Comparing that to the appearance of Evander in the Social Security data, I see why it feels like a namesake name. In 1983, the name is not even in the data base; in 1984, there are 9 new baby boys named Evander.
I have almost completely neutral feelings about the association. If I met a little boy named Evander, I might wonder if his parents chose it because of the boxer, but I wouldn’t assume it, and I wouldn’t think either more or less of them whichever way it turned out to be. My feelings on it don’t change depending on the child’s skin color: I continue to feel neutral. But this is clearly only one data point: I didn’t even remember he was a boxer, so that shows you my level of familiarity; someone who was more knowledgeable might have a stronger association and it might be more specifically positive or negative.
To add another data point, my feeling is that the name is fully useable. I think it’s one of those names that just needs a little BOOST: if we could just get a few more parents to use it, all the OTHER parents would start to think of it is a less-risky candidate. I think if the two of you love it and agree on it, you should go for it.
Now what we need is a whole bunch more data points. These are the questions, I think:
1. Why do you think the name isn’t being used more?
2. Is your association with Evander Holyfield positive, negative, neutral, or non-existent?
3. Do you feel the name is useable?
I LOVE the name evander james! I say go for it. I know of the boxer, but I wouldn’t assume you named your LO after him.
Actually, my first thought was Evander Kane, but there probably aren’t that many hockey fans around, relatively speaking, and it isn’t a negative connotation to me, anyway. I feel as though, if you and your husband like it, the possible downside isn’t strong enough to overrule that.
I think of Evander as a name similar to Alexander. Besides ending alike, both names are Greek in origin and both are found in the book “Scottish Forenames”. Evander is said to mean “good man”, and Evander appears to be a minor character in classical mythology. According to one source, Evander was the son of Hermes. “He was worshipped at Pallantium in Arcadia, as a hero, and that town was subsequently honoured by the emperor Antoninus with several privileges. Evander’s statue at Pallantium stood by the side of that of his son Pallas. At Rome he had an altar at the foot of the Aventine.”
Abby at Appellation Mountain profiled the name Evander, and if you haven’t seen it, you can find that here: http://appellationmountain.net/baby-name-of-the-day-evander/
I think the name is totally usable and that it most likely will eventually come into greater usage with the popularity of both Evan and Alexander and the desire by many parents to find a name that fits in but is unusual. I think I’ll suggest it to a friend who’s looking for a name for her second son: the short form “Van” might be exactly to her liking too.
PS I love the name Evander James — strong, classic and unusual. I think you’ve found a “winner”!
I LOVE Evander. We strongly, strongly considered it for our first son, but we decided to go with something a little more strongly Latino (we ended up choosing Victor) – my husband’s family is Central American and we thought Victor would work better for their side than Evander. It’s a beautiful name with a beautiful meaning and tons of great nicknames. I wouldn’t worry too much about people not choosing it – I think the percentage of parents who are thinking about/prioritizing names that work internationally is pretty small – and the percentage of parents these days who aren’t into nicknames is much higher – so you have people choosing Evan more and Evander less. But it’s gorgeous! And you both like it! And it’s easy to say/spell and has a great meaning. Go forth with confidence, I would love to meet more little Evanders out there.
1. I don’t know.
2. Never heard of him, not much of a sports fan.
3. Absolutely.
I had just a second of thinking, isn’t there an Evander in Shakespeare, before remembering it was Lysander in Midsummer’s Night Dream.
I am a big proponent of using the name you love unless there’s a very good reason to set it aside and I don’t think this is a big enough drawback. I’d use it.
Exactly this, including the AMND mis-association.
That Evander Holyfield was a boxer isn’t the problem–the problem is that he’s THE boxer who had part of his ear bitten off by Mike Tyson in an infamous fight. That’s my strongest association with the name, and it’s a negative one even though EH was the victim and not the aggressor.
That said, the name is beautiful, and the fact that your son won’t resemble the boxer might work to make the association feel less significant. The name has enough of a life of its own, I think, that it might only need one more degree of separation to feel totally unrelated to the boxer.
For example–if I met a white baby named Oprah, I would assume her to be a namesake for the only Oprah I know of. But if I met one named Serena, I would not assume her to be named for Serena Williams, and might never think of the connection.
I honestly wouldn’t have dredged up Evander Holyfield if your letter hadn’t mentioned him. I don’t think it is necessarily a wide ranging reference. At most you might get some older people (think friends of grandfathers) do a little shadow boxing put up your dukes kind of move upon meeting him, but people will comment on virtually any name you choose.
I also don’t entirely know why it isn’t more common, except that its uncommonness means that parents don’t necessarily consider it. I certainly didn’t even give it a seconds thought when I was naming my boys, even though I did want the names to be relatively readable internationally. It is old but doesn’t sound old, it is soft but doesn’t sound slight, it seems like a good and usable name. Perhaps as another commenter mentioned people are looking for names without nicknames.
I would say this is a lovely name if you and your husband like it.
I think it will come up when people ask how to spell it, “Did you say Evander, as in Holyfield?” and you can say, “yes, but we chose the name because of …. but it’s spelled the same, E V A N D E R.”
I love the name, I especially love it with James. Use it!
I didn’t make the connection to “Evander Holyfield” until you brought it up in your letter and I am familiar with him as a boxer. I think you should go for it!
To cover all the data points:
1. I’m not sure why the name isn’t being used more, other than that it only has one strong association for most people. The closest name I can think of that is used somewhat more often (though still not all that often) is Leander. I think they’re both strong, unusual, good names.
2. I think of the boxer immediately when I hear the name Evander. I’ve never heard of another Evander, and both my brother and my husband are very into boxing, so I have heard his name a fair amount over the years. I also grew up in Georgia, and Holyfield lived in some enormous estate in the Atlanta area that was in the news sometimes, so to me he feels widely known. I wouldn’t say the association is entirely negative. I’d say closer to neutral. I would lean toward assuming that people who used the name knew of the boxer and may have named the child after him, or may have just liked the name. I’m not sure I would actually ask, though!
3. Definitely usable, and I think it goes really well with James as a middle name.
1. I seem to know a lot of people trying to avoid nicknames, so maybe that leads into it. I agree with the comment above that says people are just choosing Evan instead of Evander. Also the pool of people who consider how a name reads internationally in the US is smaller.
2. Neutral. I think That Fight was the only one I have any memory of watching, and I think I was reading or doing homework while it was on in the background and my dad watched it.
3. Sure, I see no deal-breakers here.
If it helps, by the way, my daughter has the same name as a popular TV show/character from the late 1990s (Felicity). She just turned five and so far in her life, fewer than ten people have remarked on the connection between her name and the show — and I don’t think anyone has EVER asked if I named her after the show. Usually it’s “Oh, I loved that show!” if they say anything about it at all. But the vast majority of the time, people just comment on the name itself, usually to say how pretty it is or how much they like it.
So for me, that is another mark in the column of “go for it!”
If I met a little red headed boy named Evander T____sky, I think my first thought (if any) would be “Oh! I didn’t realized Evander was originally an Eastern European name.”
This comment sums it up for me perfectly. FWIW, Evander Holyfield is an association for me, but not a bad one at all.
I’ve heard of Evander Holyfield, and I know he’s a boxer, but the association isn’t strong enough that I think of him when I hear the name Evander. I feel neutrally about the boxer.
I think the name is 100% useable, and probably the reason people aren’t using it is because of hesitation about the pronunciation. But I don’t think that’s a dealbreaker at all. Go for it!
1) I think the name isn’t used very often because it doesn’t occur to parents to use it, because it’s uncommon. I’ve never heard this name before. If I heard it for a baby, I would think that the parents made it up or it was a foreign name.
2) Non-existent. If you asked me who was the guy who Mike Tyson bit his ear off, I would not have been able to come up with Evander Holyfield. But I don’t watch sports and rarely recognize the name of sports players.
3) Yes, as long as you are ok with an unusual name.
I LOVE Evander. I had it on a list for baby names for my son but given my name is also a boxer’s name (Tysen) I decided against it, though it might be back in the running for baby #2. Having spent 35+ years with a famous boxer’s name and being female to boot I can tell you that it is not really a big deal. And my boxer was on the giving end of the ear biting so that should be worse. In truth I don’t get as many “like the boxer” comments as I used to since both Tyson and Holyfield are pretty long since out of the ring and your son’s peers aren’t likely to know much about it so it will be very diminished by the time he is in school. And who cares anyway? It takes up about 1 second of conversation and actually makes people remember the name much more than Matthew, Mark, Jayden, etc.
Evander has a wonderful sound to it and I think would be a great fit for a Russian last name, it is both logical sounding and somewhat unexpected. I am shocked it is not more popular since Evan is quite so.
Go for it, it is a great name!
Evander James T—sky is so handsome! I don’t know why it’s not more popular, I’ve never heard of the boxer Evander (and wouldn’t worry about it if I had… that incident was a while ago and isn’t current news), and I think it’s totally useable.
Sasha, Rose and Evander. Love it.
Ahh- I knew I’d heard the name somewhere, but didn’t immediately go to Holyfield. And I was even watching That Fight! I don’t think Evander on its own is too namesake-y, and I would definitely tell you to use it. I’m not sure why it’s not used more! It kind of seems…incomplete? Like there should be another syllable or a -son on the end, but I think that’s because I don’t see it often enough to not make comparisons to similar, more familiar names. I don’t personally known of an Evander, and rarely see it promoted often on name lists. Maybe it’s just one of those overlooked names because it isn’t hitting multiple trends yet (the V in it is the only one I can think of that it falls into?).
One follow up comment, my husband and I also had a big taste different problem and Xavier is the only thing we agreed on for my son (several years prior to his birth in fact). He is 2 now and the only piece I would of advice I would ever give on naming is that if you and your husband are happy with it that is the only thing that matters. I had some concerns that Xavier might be too cross cultural for a blond blue eyed kid (since the only Xaviers I know are African American or the much more common Jaiver derivation from Latin America but I personally have a French association with the name). I do not think of Evander as belonging to a particular heritage, especially since it is so unique and because most people would associate Alexander and the somewhat similar sounding Ivan with Russian heritage I think it has a good ring to it. It is so hard to find different names that don’t sound made up or that people don’t struggle with , you have landed on a great one.
I love this name, but it’s definitely unfamiliar to me apart from having come across it on name blogs. I’ve never met an actual Evander, and never, (until this blog post), heard of the boxer. And because I’m familiar with the name Evan, my first instinct was to mispronounce Evander as Ev’-in-der–and I like this mispronunciation, too, for what that’s worth. If I knew someone named Evander, I’d get over that pronunciation hurdle quickly. I think Evander is one of those names that hasn’t “happened” yet, but surely will. Definitely useable, love the nn Van.
Don’t know why it isn’t used more, feel that it is definitely usable.
I immediately knew the pronunciation and that it was a FAMILIAR name but did not come up with Evander Holyfield until you mentioned it. Then I thought OH THAT’S IT. And then I didn’t actually know who he was, just that he’s a famous person. Then you said boxer and I thought OH YES A BOXER.
So my association with Evander Holyfield is that there’s some vague cultural knowledge that let’s me know this is a Real Name (of a male person, somewhere), and then if someone else reminds me I DO remember that he’s a boxer. But I don’t read Evander and think AHA LIKE THE BOXER!
So I wouldn’t THINK it was a namesake, or think it odd that a white child had that name.
If I was reminded about the boxer association I might wonder if that was WHY, but I wouldn’t think negatively or positively of it based on that.
Similar to me but much more common is the name Cassius. We named our dog Cassius (and I think possibly because my husband is black?) people ALWAYS CONSISTENTLY ask OH LIKE CASSIUS CLAY?
My husband likes to respond with, “No like the Roman emperor.”
Anyhow, it’s not a negative association, but it is one that exists, so I guess it’s more, will people asking if he’s named after the boxer bother you?
Yes, this. My reaction, entirely, except I thought, ah, Holyfield, that’s how I know the name, now I remember. And I am old, and was an adult when that fight happened. The expiration date on that association has long passed.
Personally, I’d go with Vander as a nn – feels fresher than Van to me. But then, Van was a grandpa name when I grew up, so maybe it works again. :-)
Congratulations on your baby! I adore the name Evander James! I just think it’s a great name, and I love all of the nickname options as well. I definitely want to encourage you to use it :)
I have no idea who Evander Holyfield is. I have never heard of him before today. I understand now that he was a boxer and some people are very familiar with him, but I still think you should use the name!
Evander’s great! Having a Russian surname really tones down the Holyfield association for me. If your surname was, say, Hollowell, or even Harrison, or Mayfield, or something that really drove home the association, I’d say, “Skip it!” But seeing it with a -sky ending Slavic name, I’d assume Evander was a heritage choice or honor name. (I guess I’m assuming that Evander is used in Slavic languages…? I might be making an Alexander association here.)
Also– just curious– Rose seems to fulfill all of your requirements…? International, crosses ethnic boundaries, easy to spell, and relatively uncommon? Curious why you think you didn’t accomplish those points in choosing Rose. It’s popular as a middle name, but not very much as a first. (Assuming you’re in the USA). And it can easily transition to Rosa or another variant in other languages. It’s true it’s not nearly as unusual as Evander though– is Evander’s level of uncommonness your ideal? If so, I’d say, further reason why you should use it! There are actually relatively few boys names with deep, traditional roots, that are used so sparingly, that aren’t overly cumbersome or have something seriously wrong with them via sound or association. Evander’s rare in that it sounds modern, but it really isn’t. Go with it!
Absolutely love Evander James. I am 28 and have never heard of the boxer, or anybody named Evander for that matter. Very surprised it’s not used more! I am pregnant with our first son and naming him Everett (calling him by his full name, not a nickname) so I LOVE the “Ev” beginning that isn’t strictly “Evan”. I would use it without hesitation! Congrats on finding a great name!
I’m not sure why Evander is not used more often. My guess is because it’s less common and less on people’s radar, and that the association with Evander Holyfield is so undiluted.
But I think it is completely usable and there is nothing wrong with it, and a lot right! Most of all, you and your husband agree and love it! It fits all of your requirements.
I immediately thought, “like Evander Holyfield” when I read the name, but it helped me pronounce it and have a frame for a name I haven’t heard anywhere else. He was an excellent boxer and as far as I’ve heard, a good man. It’s a positive association for me.
I say go for it, and your Evander may lead the way for others.
I’m familiar with Evander Holyfield, but I didn’t think of him until you mentioned it in your letter. I don’t think it’s a bad association
I really like the name for all the reasons you mentioned and I would encourage you to use it!
Evander is a great name; I do hope you decide to use it. In fact, I like it so much that now I’m left wondering why I didn’t use it! I don’t know why more people don’t use it.
I do think of Evander Holyfield, but it is a neutral association. I wouldn’t assume that you had named him after Holyfield, nor would I ask. I feel like it a name that people have seen enough that there won’t be issues with pronunciation. I say go for it. It’s a gorgeous name!
I love it. Yes, I immediately think of Evander Holyfield. But if I were to meet a little redhead, the name would be his and it’s a great one.
Like most of the replies, I like Evander. I immediately thought of the boxer, but don’t think that is a negative.
However, I believe these replies only give you HALF of the story, as they are virtually all women (or seem to be, this being the internet and all). Normally I don’t think this matters, but in the case of a boxer’s name you might want to poll a few men just to see what they say. I only say this because I believe most boxing fans are men and these responses skew female. I have no facts about the gender of boxing fans, just a guess.
I asked my husband, and he said he immediately thought of Evander Holyfield, and said it was a negative association. He doesn’t particularly follow boxing, but he does follow sports . . . He couldn’t tell me exactly what made it a negative association though. That’s pretty much the opposite of my reaction, but I don’t follow sports at all. So there’s that.
I really like it! I read through and until Evander Holyfield was mentioned, I didn’t even make a connection and when it was said, the name was familiar but not the person. I also noticed Evander Kane mentioned in the comments. As a hockey fan, that should have come to mind, but it didn’t. All that to say, to me at least, it seems like a great name and no associations were made! I definitely think it’s a useable name!
I love Evander, it was on our shortlist, I think it’s totally usable. I don’t associate it with the athlete. I think it’s the perfect fit for your sibset and your last name! Go for it!
Just one thing that popped into my mind with Evander is that with an L and a little rearranging you get lavender . Maybe it sounds more feminine than Alexander because of that? So people go another direction?
I had no idea who Evander Holyfield was. Now knowing I think it’s a non-issue.
I LOVE the name. May be a bit biased because I have an Everett, that we shorten to Ev occasionally. I think Evander sounds like a hero in some adventure story :)
Totally adorable and usable! Love Evander James. Did think of Holyfield, but neutral association and not anywhere close to Oprah levels of fame. Like the person mentioned above (Felicity), my daughter’s name is Juliet and no one has ever made a Romeo comment (to her) in 5 years. Once she started school I explained who Romeo was just in case someone said something and she had no idea what I was talking about. And I would think that is a much more “famous” association. Go for it!
To clarify my comment above, I also don’t think Evander approaches Oprah-level singularity! That’s why I think it’s usable under the circumstances. I was comparing it with a name more like Serena, that actually does exist outside of the context of the famous tennis player and therefore likely won’t evoke thoughts of her if used on a baby.
1. Evander probably isn’t in wide use because it doesn’t end in N, and most parents who want an uncommon name are boring in the ending they choose.
2. I have no idea who Evander Holyfield is.
3. This is a great name to use! It is the treasure many people look for in a name. A name with history but currently uncommon but with fashionable sounds and great nickname options.
Use Evander!
I read the title of the post and thought “Evander Holyfield” but I didn’t know who he was. I didn’t even go so far as to think about whether he’s an athlete. His last name popped into my head, but not as a positive or negative association. Oh now that I read some of the comments I remember hearing about the ear biting thing. I still think the name is totally usable though and I wouldn’t think that you’d named your son after the boxer.
At our local library storytime, I noticed that a lot of the boys names are one syllable, my own son’s included. I wonder if some parents shy away from 3 syllable boys names. Or they like Evander but can’t decide on a nickname – like they think they can’t use Evan, since Evan doesn’t sound like EE-van. Or they want to use EE-van as the nickname, but written down it will get said like Eh-van.
Totally hope you end up using Evander!
1. Why do you think the name isn’t being used more? I’m not sure.
2. Is your association with Evander Holyfield positive, negative, neutral, or non-existent? Slightly positive. (I googled to make sure there wasn’t anything that I wouldn’t want my kid associated that would be a dealbreaker for me, and other than his stance as a born again Christian and the fact that he had some HCG allegations against him, I didn’t find anything terrible – no rape or abuse scandals like some other boxers *ahem*). Evander Holyfield is the first thing person I thought of when I heard the name, and I didn’t think poorly on it. I do think it is an association he’s likely to encounter as a kid, so it depends on how much that bothers you. I vote for using it though. And Evander James is very handsome.
3. Do you feel the name is useable? YES! See above.
Who typos galore!
Also, I would probably ask you if you and your husbands were boxing fans if I met your son, but that’s about it. Ditto a kid named Lennox. (But my husband is a HUGE boxing fan, so I know more about boxing than most.)
Whoa, typos galore!
Anyway, I would probably ask if you or your partner were boxing fans if I met you and you introduced your kiddo, but that’s about it. (But my husband is a HUGE boxing fan, so I know more about boxing than most.)
Great name! I did immediately think of Holyfield, but my association is neutral. If I met an Evander (never have), I would not think him named after the boxer, but because of the boxer I can spell and pronounce the name. I think this name meets your criteria!
I agree. I have no idea why it isn’t used more often as all the parts making up the name are very useable and continue to be through various “naming generations” like you’ve suggested.
As for the boxer, yes there is an association to it but like your husband said, kids his generation will likely not be aware of the association, especially with how popular MMA/UFC is right now, there are many other names that will be out there for the world to know and focus on vs. old boxing legends – I find the majority of people interested in this sport (myself and my friends included) prefer to watch MMA vs. boxing. So to me the association, which isn’t negative at all, likely won’t be an issue. As for racial… I actually picture an Evander as a little fair skinned red-headed kid so in my mind the name fits perfectly!!!!!!
And is it usable??? Evander James??? Perfect. Do it!!! Love it!!!
My first thought was that Evander is a totally cute name! Then I thought of Evander Holyfield. It wasn’t my first thought, though, and I don’t think it has a negative connotation. I’m 30, and while I knew of EH it was still a kind of vague “hey, isn’t there someone famous with that name” thought. I agree with you that your children’s generation will be much less likely to make the connection. I
I want to encourage you to use Evander! I love it and it was on our list too. I would still consider it for any future children!
I agree with Swistle that this name probably just needs a little boost from a celebrity couple. I think many people might not know of the name?
I feel like Lysander and Leander have the same potential, I could see all three of these names getting big if some high profile person makes the first step.
I personally don’t know the boxer, so I can’t speak to that. I also think Evander goes beautifully with Sasha an Rose. Go for it!! :)
Our family watches a lot of boxing, so I used to immediately think of Evander Holyfield. Then my brother named my little nephew Evander and now I think of him. :) … I think it’s a perfect name and would’ve used it myself if my brother hadn’t thought of it first! It’s a very underrated name and I absolutely LOVE it. Even with the association – what little boy wouldn’t want to be named after a champion boxer?? That’s friggin awesome.
My first thought was of Evander Holyfield– which is not the best association, but I still think the name is totally useable. I was only 9 when the infamous ear biting happened and I still have that association with the name. I don’t think it matters that your son wouldn’t look anything like the boxer. I did originally say ee-van-der in my head before reading this, is the proper pronunciation eh-van-der? Either way, I think it’s a great name and one that you should definitely use!
I actually was reading along with interest saying about the name EV-ander which I had never heard of, when suddenly I got to e-VANder Holyfield, whose name I know aurally but apparently have never seen in writing, and thought oh, I DO know that name! I *think* I would have been able to say he was a boxer, but I’m not positive. My associations are thus very weak and totally neutral. It seems like a very fitting modern name. I suspect your spelling rule might not cover it, and I would expect mispronunciations. But if you can deal with that, I’d use it!
As a name enthusiast, my connection with the name is that is has some ties to mythology and is a great “classical” name–classical being different from classic, but still very much a strong, respectable, beautiful name. Yes, I’m familiar with Evander Holyfield, but I would certainly not assume someone would name their kid after him.
Now, that is the opinion of a name enthusiast. Most people (I’m guessing) have never heard of the name OTHER than Evander Holyfield. I am certain there will be people you encounter that will assume it’s connected.
Personally, I wouldn’t let that sway me. You have found a REALLY GOOD name you both LOVE. That’s fantastic. Furthermore, to my ear, it goes particularly well with sibling Sasha. Absolutely, you should go for it.
1. Why do you think the name isn’t being used more?
I think Evander is one of those names that name-ophiles love and gush over, but a lot of every day people aren’t familiar with the name and so they turn to other, more familiar choices. Or it seems like it has been on a lot of people’s lists, but they chose something else over it. So it’s a name that people enjoy, but it hasn’t been “the one” for them.
2. Is your association with Evander Holyfield positive, negative, neutral, or non-existent?
When I saw the name, I thought of Evander Holyfield right away, but it was more in a “that’s how I pronounce it” way than a “this is the name of a boxer” way. He’s a poor guy that got his ear bit off, but he’s not famous enough for me to only associate the name with him (ex. the Oprah example that someone posted about earlier).
3. Do you feel the name is useable?
The name is absolutely usable. Personally, it’s not my taste, but I enjoy all of the qualities about it that you listed, particularly all of the nickname options. Evander James is a lovely pairing. It’s not as if you and your husband fell in love with the name Adolf, so I think that you’ve obviously found the one and should go for it =)
This name is a winner!
Evander feels athletic, hale, and solid.
Classic choice when paired with your daughters’ names, too. And I agree with an above poster, Rose seems incredibly international! It translates into practically any language and is glorious in its elegant simplicity.
Congratulations and best wishes as you welcome your son!
1. I think it’s not used more because only name enthusiasts have heard/seen it more frequently and recognize its potential in sound, historical depth, etc. I have a friend with baby fever who claims to like Irish/Scottish/Celtic names but when I mention Isla, Fiona, Ronan and Callum to her she says they are weird. I’d say they are replacing Colin, Sean, Kelly and Meghan. Most people don’t find that sweet spot name such as this one. They hear something once and decide on it before looking at the SSA lists. If it ticks all of your boxes, sounds great AND is underused, you’ve hit the jackpot.
2. I am an avid sports fan, but no so much a boxing fan. Evander Holyfield would come to mind, but as a Brooke born in the 80s (I got the rare “Oh, like Brooke Shields?” as a kid but it didn’t last long) I’d say it is a neutral association for me and I would never assume you’d named your son for him. I wouldn’t assume every Peyton or Brady I met were named for quarterbacks.
3. I would definitely say Evander is usable and I love it paired with James. If I didn’t have a close family member who goes exclusively by Xander, I would heavily consider it for a son.
I immediately thought of Evander Holyfield just seeing the name as the title of the post. With that being said, I think it is an underused name and am on board with the others who suggest that you use it!
Evander is a name I was unfamiliar with until this post, so I wasn’t quite sure how to pronounce it: whether it was EV-an-der like the name Evan (which I thought sounded weird so probably not) or Ev-AN-der like the name Alexander (which sounded more like a name).
Never heard of Evander Holyfield (I’m 20 so perhaps I represent a younger generation), so no associations there.
If I encountered the name Evander I would be surprised at first, but I would have a positive response, especially now that I’ve looked it up and know the meaning and the history. And as you point out, there are a variety of more familiar nicknames that work for Evander, so it wouldn’t be as if you were saddling your little boy with some unwieldy name if he didn’t end up liking it. I say go for it!
1. Not in use due to vicious cycle of uncommonness followed by an undiluted association.
2. Neutral but strong association with Holyfield. I knew immediately from the post’s title what the crux of the question was.
3. Completely useable. Enough time has past.
I do hope you use it!
I think Evander is a great name! No idea why people don’t use it more often. I agree with what Swistle said about the pronunciation being a little counter-intuitive, but not so much that I wouldn’t use the name. (Plus, the -ander ending helps the pronunciation make a little more sense–it has the same rhythm as Alexander or Lysander or Leander.) Even though it’s not a name I hear often, it sounds like it should be a popular name
I wouldn’t call Evander Holyfield a positive association, but I don’t think it’s exactly negative either. Actually, I’d never even heard of Evander Holyfield until I read this post and looked him up, so I don’t think it’s a big deal either way. While some people might have a bit of an association with the name, Evander Holyfield isn’t enough of a household name for the association to be very strong.
I’d say the name is absolutely usable! If you and your husband both love it, then you should go for it.
1. 3 syllables is longer than most boys’s names which may be a factor. Similarity to Alexander may cause people to use that instead?
2 neutral – I actually thought EH was a movie star (but I’m not from the U.S.)
3. I like the name.
I did chuckle – ‘why doesn’t everyone else see how great my name is’ is a little like ‘why doesn’t everyone see that my kid is the cutest?’ People have many different requirements for names what is important is that it fits your requirements not mine (biblical, family names btw :)
I saw the title snd thought “that’s a name shakespeare a midsummer night’s dream no wait that was Lysander.” Weird someone else had same thought. Positive association even if wrong. Go for it!
1. Why do you think the name isn’t being used more?
I’ve heard it a lot more lately as an Alexander alternative along worth Leander, Nicander, etc. it is a lil clunky, doesn’t roll off the tongue
2. Is your association with Evander Holyfield positive, negative, neutral, or non-existent?
negative but not one that would mange out unusable. prefer not having a name that’s mostly heard because of one famous person.
3. Do you feel the name is useable?
yes definitely, but not personally since I feel it’s becoming trendy and automatically think ‘oh they liked Alexander but it’s too popular’
I did immediately think of Evander Holyfield. But then people are naming their sons Cassius right and left. Like Evander, Cassius has a venerable history. But it’s also firmly linked in my mind with a boxer–Cassius Clay. So make of that what you will.
My teenage daughter loves Evander Kane the hockey player so that was my first thought. She thinks Evander is a great name. Evander James is so like Evander Kane that it seems natural to me.
But we are Canadian and so is Evander Kane.
Chisoni – we are Buffalo Sabres fans, so therefore also Evander Kane fans as he was recently traded to the Sabres. In fact, we think Evander Kane sounds pretty awesome, but just couldn’t go with Kane as a middle name or it would be like we named him after the actual person (and we’re not THAT big of EK fans to do so). That’s actually how we ended up with James, as it has the same “sound” as Kane.
I don’t really know why Evander doesn’t get used more, either. I agree with Swistle that if I met a little Evander I might wonder if he was named after Holyfield, but I wouldn’t assume it. I was born in the mid-eighties and I know Holyfield is/was a boxer, but I don’t have any impressions of him as a person – I’d say my impression of him is neutral. I do think it’s a usable name. It’s further off the beaten path than Sasha and Rose, but not really out-there, and some of the nicknames are quite familiar.
Random: I don’t know why, but the only thing that Evander and Leander (another name that I feel deserves a lot more use) evoke to me is broad shoulders.
1. Why do you think the name isn’t being used more?
I have no idea. It’s a little long and– on first reading — I think of it as an extra syllable tacked on the name Evan, but I like it! I think it feels like it needs a nickname and most Ev- nicknames would feel too girly.
2. Is your association with Evander Holyfield positive, negative, neutral, or non-existent?
Non-existant. Had to use the Wikipedia link to look this person up. I also pictured it on a person of European origin and can still picture it that way even after realizing that the boxer is not white.
3. Do you feel the name is useable? Sure!
Thank you to Swistle and all of the commenters for your helpful insight and feedback! I realize now after reading your comments that our immediate connection with Evander Holyfield and Evander Kane (also a positive connotation) is due to the fact that my husband and I are huge sports fans, and not everyone else will necessarily be familiar with those namesakes. I feel so much more confident now that Evander James is a great name for our little guy. I will be sure to post a follow up picture when he arrives next month. Thanks again, everyone!
I love the name Evander, unfortunately my husband is not a fan (apparently he doesn’t like names that end in -ander, I tried for Leander too) or it would definitely be on my list!
Anyway, I think Evander James is a really handsome name. I find Evander to be unique but not weird, familiar but not common… a very “sweet spot” name that fits in while still standing out. I do know Evander Holyfield but the association isnt strong enough (or a bad one) to avoid the name.
I wish more people would use great names like Evander!
I must jump in to the conversation as I also had the same thoughts on whether to choose this name. We went for it
(Evander Ellery Arthur) and I’m so glad. Have definitely had the “like the boxer” comments but not in a negative way. I did find though that when he was teeny it seemed a big name for him so he became baby Van which has stuck and Vanvan also which really suits him! Xx
We have Evander James Bernard (two middle names run in our family. So we chose one middle name from each side.)
I hope you chose this name. I was pregnant in 2015 and we chose this same name and middle name (but our son has two middle names). He’s 3 now and we still love it. In high school we hope he’ll have a cool nickname like Van. And that his friends will say “Hey, Van! Homework at your house tonight?” It just sounds cool. We definitely don’t regret it.