Kevin is a boy name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Kevin means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Kevin across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Kevin has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Kevin is a boy name of Irish (Gaelic) origin meaning “handsome, gentle birth”. from Caoimhín.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 1,189,844 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 7,799 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 12,855 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 663 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 20,691 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 9,358 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 Kevin per year, United States (1912 to 2025). United States peaked in 1963 (30,734/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1980 (825/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1986 (639/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 2017 (400/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 1998 (53/yr).
Kevin has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 1963, when it ranked #15 nationally (given to 30,734 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1960s.
Gavin · Kevon · Kevan · Keven · Kavon · Kavion · Cavin · Kevyn
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