Pokemon GO gives you two roads to Espeon: the nickname trick (rename Eevee “Sakura”, works exactly once per account) and the repeatable buddy method (walk 10km together, then evolve during the day while it’s still your buddy). Both cost the usual 25 Eevee candy. Here’s each, step by step.
Method 1: The Nickname Trick (Once Ever)
- Rename your Eevee to Sakura (the Espeon trainer from the anime; each Eeveelution has its own name).
- Confirm the name saved (restart the app to be sure; a synced name is a safe name).
- Evolve with 25 candy: guaranteed Espeon.
One use per account per Eeveelution. Spend it on a great Eevee: high IVs or a Shiny, not your first spare. After the trick is used, renaming does nothing and the buddy method below is your road.
Method 2: The Buddy Method (Repeatable Forever)
- Set the Eevee you want to evolve as your buddy.
- Walk 10 km with it (earning the 2 candies along the way as proof).
- While it is STILL your buddy, evolve it during the daytime in-game (the sky in the app, not your watch; if the game world looks bright, you’re safe).
- Espeon, every time, repeatably.
The three classic ways this fails, so you dodge them: swapping buddies before evolving (the 10km counts only while it’s the active buddy at evolve time), evolving at night (that’s the Umbreon recipe), and trusting your wall clock instead of the in-game sky near dusk.
Which Method When
- Shiny or perfect Eevee, first time: nickname trick, zero risk of a nighttime misfire.
- Everything after: buddy method; the 10km is the price of certainty forever.
- Random evolves (25 candy, no trick, no buddy work) roll the non-Kanto dice and cannot target Espeon reliably; never gamble a good Eevee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the 10km need to be continuous? No, cumulative distance as your buddy; adventure sync overnight walking counts.
Can I bank the 10km and evolve later? Yes, as long as the Eevee is re-set as your buddy when you press evolve, the earned distance holds.
Does Espeon matter in GO’s meta? A solid psychic attacker for its cost and a Great League occasional; mostly, it’s an Eeveelution and the collection demands it.
Shiny Espeon? Evolve a Shiny Eevee via either method; the evolution keeps the shine.