Alvin is a boy name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Alvin means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Alvin across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Alvin has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Alvin is a boy name of Old English origin meaning “elf friend or noble friend”. From the Old English name Aelfwine.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 162,512 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 868 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 15 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 6 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 113 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Alvin per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 1927 (2,908/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 2012 (47/yr) · Ireland peaked in 2010 (10/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1974 (3/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 2004 (3/yr).
Alvin has been a fairly common baby name in the United States. It was most common in 1927, when it ranked #162 nationally (given to 2,908 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1920s.
Elvin · Alvina · Elvina · Alvan · Alvena · Elvena · Elven · Alvino
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