Melvin is a boy name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Melvin means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Melvin across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Melvin has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Melvin is a boy name of Scottish (Gaelic) origin meaning “of uncertain meaning”. possibly from a Scottish surname.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 247,075 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 371 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 8 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 48 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 Melvin per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 1928 (4,311/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 2017 (20/yr) · Ireland peaked in 2009 (6/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1977 (5/yr).
Melvin has been a fairly common baby name in the United States. It was most common in 1928, when it ranked #111 nationally (given to 4,311 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1920s.
Melvyn · Melvina · Malvina · Malvin · Melven · Melvine · Melvena · Melvenia
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