Devon Unisex

Popularity: #724 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: DEV-uhn //ˈdɛv.ən//

Origin: English; Irish

Meaning: English: from the town of Devon; Irish: poet

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Devon has its roots in the Old English word "Dumnonia," which referred to a Celtic kingdom located in the southwestern region of Britain during the early medieval period. This name is derived from the Proto-Celtic term *Dumnonios, which is thought to mean "the land of the deep" or "the deep valley." The transition from Dumnonia to Devon occurred as the Anglo-Saxons settled in the area, and the name evolved to reflect the changing linguistic landscape.

By the time the name entered the English lexicon, it was already associated with the geographical region of Devon, which has been recognized since at least the 9th century. Historically, the name Devon has been linked to various significant events and figures.

The region itself was notable during the Anglo-Saxon period and later became part of the Kingdom of Wessex. In the 10th century, the area was incorporated into the emerging English nation, and the name Devon became more widely recognized.

The name's association with the region has been solidified through various historical texts and documents, including the Domesday Book of 1086, which recorded the lands and resources of England following the Norman Conquest. Culturally, the name Devon carries connotations of strength and resilience, reflective of the rugged terrain and maritime heritage of the region.

The name has also been embraced in literature and art, often symbolizing a connection to nature and the pastoral beauty of the English countryside. Additionally, the diminutive form "Dev" has emerged as a familiar variant, though it is less historically significant.

Overall, the name Devon encapsulates a rich tapestry of linguistic evolution, historical significance, and cultural resonance that has contributed to its enduring legacy.

Famous people named Devon

In this section, you will find notable people named Devon. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Devon who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Devon who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Devon Aoki is a model and actress best known for Sin City, 2 Fast 2 Furious, and DOA: Dead or Alive.

Devon Sawa is an actor best known for Final Destination, Casper, and Idle Hands.

Devon Murray is an actor best known for his role as Seamus Finnigan in the Harry Potter film series.

Devon Gummersall is an actor best known for My So-Called Life, and The Last House on the Left.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Devon, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

DylanDerekDustinDevinDanielDominic

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Devon. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

DamonDorianDarrenDesmondDevlinDawsonDanteDavis

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Devon was first seen in the United States in 1914.

Devon has ranked as high as #185 nationally, which occurred in 1995, and has been most popular in California, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Florida.

In the past 5 years the name Devon has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Devon is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Devon was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Devon.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 260 216 44
2024 277 236 41
2023 306 258 48
2022 341 291 50
2021 374 322 52
2020 436 385 51
2019 395 342 53
2018 440 381 59
2017 489 421 68
2016 552 491 61
2015 596 518 78
2014 610 528 82
2013 727 644 83
2012 834 741 93
2011 960 855 105
2010 1,139 1,028 111
2009 1,357 1,236 121
2008 1,655 1,510 145
2007 2,050 1,862 188
2006 2,174 1,985 189
2005 2,353 2,097 256
2004 2,618 2,328 290
2003 2,851 2,527 324
2002 2,675 2,395 280
2001 3,016 2,722 294
2000 3,345 2,974 371
1999 3,447 3,000 447
1998 3,650 3,147 503
1997 3,772 3,189 583
1996 3,557 2,907 650
1995 4,001 3,114 887
1994 3,734 3,033 701
1993 3,642 2,727 915
1992 3,693 2,773 920
1991 3,679 2,474 1,205
1990 3,055 2,058 997
1989 2,341 1,716 625
1988 1,884 1,441 443
1987 1,614 1,196 418
1986 1,488 1,053 435
1985 1,382 977 405
1984 1,361 851 510
1983 1,329 750 579
1982 962 460 502
1981 934 384 550
1980 1,157 436 721
1979 1,167 410 757
1978 1,177 417 760
1977 771 442 329
1976 428 305 123
1975 423 314 109
1974 445 352 93
1973 351 270 81
1972 292 197 95
1971 291 191 100
1970 302 203 99
1969 253 169 84
1968 246 161 85
1967 217 149 68
1966 198 120 78
1965 179 105 74
1964 178 115 63
1963 190 103 87
1962 122 81 41
1961 118 65 53
1960 97 61 36
1959 93 55 38
1958 84 46 38
1957 82 41 41
1956 86 48 38
1955 99 56 43
1954 95 55 40
1953 100 43 57
1952 79 50 29
1951 78 37 41
1950 80 43 37
1949 55 32 23
1948 60 30 30
1947 46 29 17
1946 41 31 10
1945 53 33 20
1944 45 31 14
1943 33 33 0
1942 34 27 7
1941 38 33 5
1940 34 34 0
1939 27 27 0
1938 38 38 0
1937 40 34 6
1936 33 33 0
1935 44 39 5
1934 30 30 0
1933 28 28 0
1932 38 33 5
1931 42 36 6
1930 36 36 0
1929 32 32 0
1928 25 25 0
1927 30 30 0
1926 39 34 5
1925 26 26 0
1924 19 19 0
1923 22 22 0
1922 21 21 0
1921 22 22 0
1920 26 26 0
1919 24 24 0
1918 17 17 0
1917 14 14 0
1916 13 13 0
1915 8 8 0
1914 10 10 0

Top States for Devon (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 28
15%
TX 20
11%
OH 17
9%
PA 14
8%
FL 13
7%
MI 11
6%
IL 10
5%
NY 10
5%
GA 9
5%
IN 7
4%
AZ 7
4%
MA 6
3%
NJ 6
3%
MS 6
3%
NC 6
3%
LA 5
3%
AL 5
3%
WI 5
3%