Gavin
Gavin was the 303rd most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 1,125 babies. Its best year was 2008, when it ranked 30th; the most babies were born in 2007 (11,863). Over the last ten years it has moved down 233 places. More babies were named Gavin in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Meaning Meaning disputed · Welsh, Scottish
Say it GAV-in /ˈɡævɪn/
- Rank in 2025
- #303 boys, down 161 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 1,125boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 200711,863 babies
- Total since 1880
- 189,665babies recorded
What does the name Gavin mean?
Gavin is the Scottish form of Gawain, King Arthur's nephew and the hero of the poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Wiktionary says it survived in Scotland and spread to other English-speaking countries in the 1960s. DMNES calls the origin disputed, perhaps Old Welsh gwalch, 'hawk', and gwyn, 'white'; the Welsh form of the character's name is Gwalchmei. Wikipedia gives 'white hawk' along with a less likely 'God send'.
gwalch (Old Welsh, “hawk”)gwyn (Old Welsh, “white (proposed)”)
How sure is this? Disputed. DMNES calls the origin disputed; 'white hawk' is the leading suggestion.
Related names: Gawain, Gauvain, Gavyn, Gwalchmei.
See also: Welsh names.
Sources for this meaning
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Gavin', Durham University / The DMNES Editors
- Wiktionary, entry 'Gavin', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
- Wikipedia, 'Gavin', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
Gavin popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 395 since 1977.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #303 | 1,125 |
| 2020 | #142 | 2,589 |
| 2010 | #38 | 9,626 |
| 2000 | #85 | 4,686 |
| 1990 | #294 | 860 |
| 1980 | #444 | 350 |
| 1970 | #564 | 207 |
| 1960 | #766 | 100 |
| 1950 | #1,408 | 27 |
| 1940 | #2,021 | 13 |
| 1930 | #2,857 | 9 |
| 1920 | #2,510 | 12 |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Gavin, counting every spelling?
Gavin is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #305 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #303 for Gavin on its own. Together these spellings went to 1,150 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gavin | 1,125 | #303 | 8,038 |
| Gavyn | 25 | #4,173 | 170 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Gavin?
1,125 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Gavin (0.31 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Gavin born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 7 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Gavin.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Gavin?
About 185,400 people born in the US named Gavin are alive today, with a median age of 18; half are between 14 and 23. That makes Gavin mostly worn by children and young adults.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Gavin by state
How common Gavin was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in New Hampshire (3.0×), Maine (2.9×), Rhode Island (2.5×), North Dakota (2.3×), Pennsylvania (2.1×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in District of Columbia, Alaska, California.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Gavin: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Gavin, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Gavin · Sibling names for Gavin
Questions about the name Gavin
What does Gavin mean?
The meaning of Gavin is disputed: DMNES calls the origin disputed; 'white hawk' is the leading suggestion.
How popular is the name Gavin?
Gavin was the 303rd most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 1,125 babies. Its best year was 2008, when it ranked 30th; the most babies were born in 2007 (11,863). Over the last ten years it has moved down 233 places. More babies were named Gavin in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Is Gavin a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Gavin in the US.
Where is Gavin most popular?
In 2021–2025, Gavin was most common in New Hampshire (2.84 per 1,000 boys), followed by Maine and Rhode Island.