FastNamesKevin
Irish and Celtic name meaning "Anglicized form of Old Irish Caoimhín, derived from caomh ('handsome', 'gentle', 'noble') and the diminutive suffix -ín ('little handsome one').". Ranked 221st for boys in 2025.
Meaning and origin of Kevin
Anglicized form of Old Irish Caoimhín, derived from caomh ('handsome', 'gentle', 'noble') and the diminutive suffix -ín ('little handsome one').
Linguistically, Kevin is classified under Irish and Celtic naming traditions. It is typically pronounced "KEV-in".
Popularity and ranking
In official US Social Security birth records from 1880 through 2025, Kevin has been given to a total of 1,184,507 boys. It has also been given to 5,337 girls.
Peak year: Kevin reached its highest relative share among boys in 1965, when 28,177 babies received the name (15,148 per million births).
All-time best rank: 11th place, first achieved in 1963.
Recent standing (2025): Ranked 221st with 1,628 births. Ten years earlier in 2015, it ranked 79th (down 142 spots).
Busiest decade: More boys were named Kevin in the 1960s than in any other decade (271,412 births).
| Decade | Recorded births |
|---|---|
| 1910s | 117 |
| 1920s | 599 |
| 1930s | 1,623 |
| 1940s | 11,268 |
| 1950s | 159,010 |
| 1960s | 271,412 |
| 1970s | 212,231 |
| 1980s | 188,670 |
| 1990s | 165,232 |
| 2000s | 111,081 |
| 2010s | 51,318 |
| 2020s | 11,946 |
Source: Social Security Administration, national baby name data, data through 2025. Names given to fewer than five babies of one sex in a year aren't published, so totals are a little lower than actual births.
Where Kevin is most common in the US
Accounting for when Kevin was in fashion nationally, it has been most heavily concentrated in the following states (measured against the expected rate from each state's births):
- Massachusetts: 1.5 times the national rate (42,507 births since 1910).
- District of Columbia: 1.5 times the national rate (9,554 births since 1910).
- Rhode Island: 1.5 times the national rate (6,497 births since 1910).
- New Jersey: 1.4 times the national rate (46,665 births since 1910).
- Delaware: 1.3 times the national rate (3,748 births since 1910).
Source: Social Security Administration, baby names by state, data through 2025. Names given to fewer than five babies of one sex in a state in a year aren't published, so totals are a little lower than actual births.
How many people have the name Kevin?
About 1,045,000 living American boys and men share the name Kevin. Additionally, an estimated 4,900 living American girls and women share the name.
The median age of an American named Kevin is 47 years old.
Estimated from Social Security Administration records (1880–2025) and official SSA cohort mortality tables.
History of the name Kevin
Kevin is the modern Anglicization of the Old Irish personal name Caoimhghin (modern Irish Caoimhín), formed from the Gaelic adjective caomh ('dear', 'gentle', 'noble', or 'handsome') and the diminutive hypocoristic suffix -ín. In early medieval Ireland, caomh denoted both physical comeliness and generous nobility of spirit, making it an affectionate and honorable name among early monastic communities.
The name's profound renown throughout Christendom derives from Saint Kevin (Caoimhghin of Glendalough, died c. 618 AD), an Irish hermit, ascetic, and abbot who founded the famous monastic settlement of Glendalough in the Wicklow Mountains. Famed for his close communion with nature and solitary contemplation, Saint Kevin became one of the most beloved patron saints of Ireland and Dublin.
In the mid-twentieth century, Kevin crossed from Ireland into mainstream English and American popular consciousness with immense force. Entering the United States national top twenty in 1957, it remained in the top twenty for twenty-two consecutive years, peaking at rank 11 in 1963 with over 35,000 newborn boys per year, standing as an enduring pillar of mid-century and modern American boyhood.
Notable people named Kevin
- Kevin Bacon (1958–), American Golden Globe-winning actor
- Kevin Costner (1955–), American Academy Award-winning actor and director
- Kevin Hart (1979–), American comedian and actor
- Kevin Durant (1988–), American two-time NBA champion and MVP
Variants and related names
Spelling variants
Diminutives and nicknames
Related names
Sources and references
- Patrick Hanks, Kate Hardcastle, Flavia Hodges. A Dictionary of First Names (2006), p. 157.
- Donnchadh Ó Corráin, Fidelma Maguire. Gaelic Personal Names (1981), p. 44.
- Douglas Harper. Online Etymology Dictionary. Reference link.