Names Inspired by Everly

Everly sounds old, rhyming with vintage Beverly and borrowing sounds from classic Eve and Emily. Yet, it was hardly a name until the past decade. Since entering the charts in 2012, Everly has risen dramatically to hit the top 100 in 2017 and rank within the top 50 between 2019 and 2021.

Not only is Everly overly popular for some parents, but its rapid rise makes it extremely like to date to this era; this gives extra demand for Everly alternatives.

Alongside being fresh for this generation despite having the sounds of classic names, Everly is feminine and tailored when most girls' surname-names lean unisex. It also has some artistic heritage via the Everly Brothers rock duo. Finally, Everly rolls off the tongue; it is fun to say. 

For parents seeking alternatives (or name enthusiasts seeking more names to love), here are some names that capture Everly's style:

Abilene

Abilene is a place name mixing the sounds of Abigail and Irene, hence sounding old-fashioned. However, it has only seen consistent since the 1980s and has yet to rank. Abilene also rolls off the tongue alongside being the main girl in Kate DiCamillo's The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane.

Avonlea

Associated with Anne of Avonlea, this tailored feminine place name has slight old-time charm; yet, it has never ranked. Avonlea shares some sound beats with Everly, too. 

Bellamy

Bellamy mixes the sounds of Belle and Amy into a dactyl name as Everly does to Eve and Emily. That, despite being unisex in usage, makes Bellamy's sound lean feminine.

Carrigan

Carrigan can work as a modern twist on Caroline, though it is no elaboration. It is a surname-name that is predominantly female in usage and rolls off the tongue.

Clarity

As Everly elaborates on classic Eve, Clarity does the same to Claire. Its ending makes it sound like a Puritan virtue name in the key of Charity, but consistent usage only began in the late 1990s. There is also a Zedd song by the name, giving Clarity some artistic merit. 

Clemency

Everly's "ever" gives it a virtuous quality. Clemency, likewise, is a synonym for mercy. It adds a syllable, itself the ending of classic Lucy, to antique Clemence, making it fun to say. This old-sounding name has yet to catch on in America.  

Coraline

Coraline, an elaboration of Cora, sounds like a Victorian name, and appeared in Adolphe Adam's French opera Le Toréador. However, Coraline was actually first recorded in the states in 1970. Neil Gaiman's children's horror novel and the 2009 film it inspired established the bouncy name in our modern consciousness.

Creedence

Those drawn to Everly's rock and roll vibe are likely to also consider Creedence, as in Creedence Clearwater Revival. Its structural similarity to Constance and Prudence makes it sound like a Puritan name, though lacking history before the 1990s.

Ellery

Ellery elaborates on a single-syllable "E" name as Everly does (in this case, Elle). It also has Everly's bounciness and artistic heritage via Ellery Queen, a pseudonym of two famous detective writers. 

Elowyn

Elowyn is not a surname but, rather, a twentieth-century feminine Cornish invention spelled with a "y" instead of an "e"; this spelling better mirrors Everly. This tailored name begins with the first two syllables of vintage Eloise and ends with the first syllable of Winifred.

Emberly

Emberly is a more obvious alternative since it is another modern feminine "E" name that follows Everly's syllabic structure which is fun to say. It also has some influence from retro hit Kimberly.

Evadne

Evadne, like Everly, is a three-syllable elaboration on Eve that ends in the "ee" sound. It has roots in Greek Mythology but has yet to achieve consistent use among Americans. 

Everina

Those who can't even give up the "ever" sound might consider Everina, which rolls off the tongue and was worn by Mary Wollstonecraft's sister. However, there is no otherwise evidence of historical use among English-speakers.

Lorelei

Lorelei elaborates on classic Laura as Everly does to Eve. Used by German romantic poets and songwriters, Lorelei has some artistic merit. It clearly has more history, but it retains Everly's tailored and bouncy structure. 

Marlowe

The modern feminine surname-name connects to English playwright Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593), giving it some artistic merit. 

Olivet

Olivet mixes the sounds of Olivia and Violet, making it sound like a feminine name with history. It is also the name of a Christian university in California, giving it a prestigious charm. The tailored surname-name has yet to enter regular use. 

Paralee

This Southern name could be an elaboration of Pearl though it is not obvious. Either way, Paralee has modern potential as a tailored name that rolls off the tongue. 

Pemberley

This is the name of Mr. Darcy's estate in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, giving it an artistic vibe. Pemberley, rhyming with Emberly, also has Everly's structure and is tailored but fully feminine in use.

Penrose

Like Everly, Penrose is a surname-name mixing the sounds of traditional names (in this case, Penelope and Rose). Penrose has yet to see heavy usage and, when recorded in 2014 and 2022, has leaned female.

Presley

This surname, born by Elvis Presley, has the same rock and roll heritage as Everly alongside being fun to say. It ends in the same "lee" sound, too. 

Reverie

Another contemporary feminine choice that's tailored and bouncy, dreamlike Reverie has a near-rhyming syllabic pattern to Everly.

Romilly

This tailored and bouncy English surname-name is fully feminine in both England and America, though it has yet to enter the charts here. 

Verity

Verity, alongside elaborating on Vera, has Everly's "ver" sound. It is feminine, tailored, and fun to say. Despite being a Puritanical-sounding virtue name, Verity was not recorded here before 1966. 

Waverly

Waverly has many of Everly's sound beats alongside being the title of Walter Scott's 1814 novel. It also belongs to a female character in Amy Tan's The Joy Luck Club.

Which alternatives do you like best? Which names would you add?