Pokémon GO Eevee Evolutions: Names and Every Method

Eevee has eight evolutions in Pokémon GO (Vaporeon, Jolteon, Flareon, Espeon, Umbreon, Leafeon, Glaceon and Sylveon), and each one costs 25 Eevee Candy. You can pick the result with a one-time nickname trick for every form, or use the in-game methods: walking 10 km as buddies for Espeon (day) and Umbreon (night), a Mossy or Glacial Lure Module for Leafeon and Glaceon, and 70 buddy hearts for Sylveon. Without either, the first three evolve at random.

We cross-checked the names and requirements in November 2026 against Serebii's Pokémon GO evolution pages, IGN's Eevee evolution wiki and Pokémon GO Hub's Eevee database entry, which agree on every method.

All Eight Eeveelutions at a Glance

Every evolution uses the same 25 Candy, so the only thing that changes is how you steer the outcome. The table below lists each form with its nickname and its standard in-game method. Spell the nicknames exactly as shown.

Eevee evolutions in Pokémon GO, November 2026

Evolution	Nickname (works once)	Standard method
Vaporeon	Rainer	Random evolution
Jolteon	Sparky	Random evolution
Flareon	Pyro	Random evolution
Espeon	Sakura	Buddy, walk 10 km, evolve during the day
Umbreon	Tamao	Buddy, walk 10 km, evolve at night
Leafeon	Linnea	Evolve near a Mossy Lure Module
Glaceon	Rea	Evolve near a Glacial Lure Module
Sylveon	Kira	Earn 70 buddy hearts

Vaporeon, Jolteon and Flareon are the "original three," and Serebii notes that their evolution is decided at random unless you use the nickname. That randomness is why the name trick became famous in the first place: it is the only way to choose among those three directly.

If you run into a source that spells Vaporeon's name as "Rainier," note that both Serebii's evolution chart and IGN list it as "Rainer." A one-letter slip means the trick simply does not trigger, so the spelling matters.

How the Nickname Trick Works

The trick is simple, but people often waste it by rushing. Follow this order:

1. Pick the Eevee you actually want to keep. Appraise it first, because IVs carry through evolution unchanged.
2. Rename it from its summary screen, entering the nickname exactly, for example Sakura for Espeon.
3. Confirm the change, then look at the Evolve button. Before spending Candy, check that the evolution preview silhouette matches the form you want.
4. Evolve. The new Pokémon keeps the nickname, so rename it afterward if you like.

IGN is clear that each nickname works only once per evolution form. That means you get one named evolution for each of the eight forms per account, so it pays to spend them on your best Eevee. Our guide to checking IVs with appraisal shows how to find your top candidates with a quick search before you rename anything.

Once a nickname is used, you need the standard method for that form. For the original three that means the random roll, which in practice means evolving more Eevee and hoping. For the other five, the methods below are just as reliable as the name trick.

Most wasted nicknames come from a handful of avoidable slips:

• Renaming in a hurry. If you rename an Eevee during a busy event and evolve it immediately, it is easy to burn a once-only name on a weak catch. Pick the Eevee first, then rename.
• Not checking the preview. If the silhouette on the evolve screen does not match, stop and recheck the spelling before you spend Candy.
• Spending a name you did not need. Using Linnea while standing next to a Mossy Lure, or Kira on an Eevee that already has 70 hearts, throws away a backup for later.
• Evolving a special Eevee by accident. Lock your favorites before an evolution spree so a Shiny or event Eevee does not get swept up with the rest.

Espeon and Umbreon: The Buddy Walk

For Espeon and Umbreon, set Eevee as your buddy and walk 10 km with it. Serebii's chart says the Eevee must be your buddy and have walked more than 10 km at the moment it evolves; evolving during the day gives Espeon, and evolving at night gives Umbreon.

A few practical points make this smoother:

• The 10 km is buddy distance with that specific Eevee, so switching buddies part way through does not carry the distance to a different Eevee.
• Plan the timing: if you want Espeon, finish the walk and evolve before dark; if you want Umbreon, wait until night.
• Keep the Eevee as your buddy while you press Evolve, since the requirement applies at the moment it evolves.
• Pokémon GO Hub lists Eevee's buddy distance as 5 km per Candy, so the 10 km walk also earns two Eevee Candy along the way.

Because the walk takes time, many Trainers use Sakura and Tamao on their best Eevee first, then return to the buddy method for extra copies later.

Leafeon and Glaceon: Lure Modules

Leafeon and Glaceon come from special Lure Modules. Attach a Mossy Lure Module to a PokéStop for Leafeon or a Glacial Lure Module for Glaceon, then stand within range and evolve your Eevee. Serebii and GO Hub both list the requirement as 25 Candy plus being near the right Lure.

IGN suggests spinning the PokéStop with the Lure attached, then opening your Eevee and checking that the silhouette shows Leafeon or Glaceon before you tap Evolve. If it still shows a question mark, move closer to the stop. The listed requirement is proximity to the right Lure rather than ownership of it, so a Lure placed by another player works too.

If you do not have the right Lure, the nicknames Linnea (Leafeon) and Rea (Glaceon) still work once each. Save them for when you have a high-IV Eevee and no Lure nearby.

Sylveon: 70 Buddy Hearts

Sylveon requires a buddy relationship. Make Eevee your buddy and earn 70 hearts with it; IGN notes that this is the same threshold as reaching Great Buddy level. Once you have them, the Sylveon evolution becomes available for 25 Candy.

Hearts come from buddy activities spread across the day, so this is a project for several days rather than one session. The nickname Kira skips the requirement once, which is why many players save Kira for a strong Eevee and earn hearts on a second one later.

Since hearts take a while, set Eevee as your buddy on a day when you were going to play anyway, and the 70 will come without much extra effort.

One Eevee, Eight Types

The reason Eevee is so popular is coverage. Each evolution has a different single type, so one species gives you a member of eight different types from a single Candy pool:

• Vaporeon: Water
• Jolteon: Electric
• Flareon: Fire
• Espeon: Psychic
• Umbreon: Dark
• Leafeon: Grass
• Glaceon: Ice
• Sylveon: Fairy

That makes Eevee a convenient way to fill gaps in a casual team, for Gym defense, themed cups or simply finishing a type-based collection. It also shapes which name to spend first. If your storage is short on a particular type, use that nickname on your best Eevee and leave the others for later. If you are mainly collecting, start with the five forms that have reliable standard methods (Espeon, Umbreon, Leafeon, Glaceon and Sylveon) through buddy walks, Lures and hearts, and keep the Rainer, Sparky and Pyro nicknames for the three forms that are otherwise left to chance. That way no nickname is spent on a form you could have targeted another way.

A good order for a complete set on a fresh account is: use Rainer, Sparky and Pyro first on decent Eevee, start a buddy walk for Espeon or Umbreon at the same time, evolve Leafeon and Glaceon whenever you pass an active Mossy or Glacial Lure, and let Sylveon's hearts build up in the background. Hold the remaining nicknames as a backup for your highest-IV Eevee.

Planning Candy and XP Around Eevee

A full set of eight evolutions takes 200 Eevee Candy. That sounds like a lot, but evolving Eevee is also an efficient source of XP. Pokémon GO Hub's XP table lists 500 XP for an evolution, and a new Pokédex entry adds 500 more; with a Lucky Egg active, all XP is doubled for 30 minutes. Lining up Eevee evolutions with other new entries is a classic way to pop one Lucky Egg for maximum value, which our fast leveling guide covers in more detail.

Candy is easiest to build during events with candy bonuses. Community Days usually include extra Candy from catches, as the November 21 Pawniard event does with double Candy, so it pays to transfer spare Eevee you catch on those days. Our Community Day guide explains the full bonus list.

If you are evolving for battle rather than collection, keep expectations realistic. None of the Eeveelutions appears in the current top 20 of the Great League rankings, which our Great League tier list breaks down, so treat them as Pokédex and fun picks for PvP unless a themed cup favors them. As for Eevee itself, Serebii puts its maximum CP at 1,210 at level 50, so it is the evolutions that matter, not the base form.

If You Would Rather Not Farm Eevee Candy

Collecting all eight with good IVs, plus their Shiny versions, is a long-term project. Some Trainers instead browse the account listings on our Pokémon GO page, which are supplied by third-party sellers and refreshed daily. Before doing that, read the publisher's terms: the Scopely Explore Terms of Service, last modified July 15, 2026, count selling or trading accounts as cheating.

For a free route, start with the table above, use each nickname once on your strongest Eevee, and work through the Lure and buddy methods at your own pace.

Frequently Asked Questions