Gavin is a boy name with a modern feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Gavin means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Gavin across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Gavin has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Gavin is a boy name of Welsh origin meaning “white hawk”. a form of the Arthurian name Gawain.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 189,665 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 1,436 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 5,432 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 274 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 7,148 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 3,197 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 Gavin per year, United States (1913 to 2025). United States peaked in 2007 (11,889/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1977 (329/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1977 (299/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 1996 (176/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 1997 (45/yr).
Gavin has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 2007, when it ranked #47 nationally (given to 12,102 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 2000s.
Kevin · Gavyn · Gaven · Kavon · Kavion · Cavin · Kavin · Gavan
Not sure if it's the one? The best way to know is to see if your partner loves it too. Swipe baby names with your partner and match on the ones you both ❤️, free, no account needed to start.
Find your name together →