Gavin Boy

Popularity: #288 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: GAV-in //ˈɡæv.ɪn//

Origin: Irish; Welsh

Meaning: Irish: 'white hawk'; Welsh: 'battle hawk'

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Gavin has its roots in the Welsh name Gawain, which is derived from the Old Welsh form *Gauain*. The etymology of Gawain is often linked to the Latin name 'Walanus', which itself may stem from the Proto-Celtic *gāwā, meaning 'hawk' or 'battle'.

The transition from Gawain to Gavin occurred as the name was adopted into English, particularly during the medieval period when Arthurian legends popularized the character of Sir Gawain, one of the Knights of the Round Table. This character is prominently featured in the 14th-century Middle English poem 'Sir Gawain and the Green Knight', which further solidified the name's presence in English literature.

Historically, the name Gavin gained traction in Scotland, where it became associated with various saints, notably Saint Gawain, who is believed to have been a 6th-century figure. The name's association with nobility is also notable, as it appeared among Scottish clans and was borne by several historical figures, including the 14th-century Scottish nobleman Gavin Dunbar, who served as the Archbishop of Glasgow.

The name's usage in Scotland was further reinforced by its appearance in various historical texts and records throughout the centuries. Culturally, Gavin has been embraced for its chivalric and noble connotations, largely due to its connections with the Arthurian legends and the valorous traits attributed to Sir Gawain.

The name has also been linked to themes of loyalty and honor, which resonate with the ideals of knighthood. Additionally, diminutive forms such as Gav or Gavie have emerged in various contexts, although they are less historically significant.

Overall, Gavin's enduring legacy is marked by its rich linguistic heritage and its associations with valorous figures in literature and history.

Famous people named Gavin

In this section, you will find notable people named Gavin. 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 Gavin who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Gavin 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.

Gavin Rossdale is a musician best known for being the lead singer of Bush and for his solo work.

Gavin DeGraw is a singer-songwriter best known for his songs I Don't Want to Be, Chariot, and Not Over You.

Gavin Henson is a rugby player best known for playing with the Welsh national team and the Ospreys.

Gavin O'Connor is a director and writer best known for films such as Warrior, Miracle, and The Accountant.

Fictional characters named Gavin

The following list of fictional characters named Gavin is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Gavin is a fictional character from the video game series Dragon Age. He is a prominent character in Dragon Age: Inquisition, serving as a member of the Inquisition and a key figure in the game's narrative.

Sibling suggestions

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

GraysonGideonGabrielGrahamGage

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Gavin. 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.

GalenGarrisonGarrettGideonGrahamGavinusGavrielGavyn

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Gavin was first seen in the United States in 1913.

Gavin has ranked as high as #47 nationally, which occurred in 2007, and has been most popular in California, Texas, New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.

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

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Gavin 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 Gavin 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 Gavin.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 1,125 1,125 0
2024 1,384 1,384 0
2023 1,524 1,515 9
2022 1,803 1,798 5
2021 2,216 2,216 0
2020 2,589 2,589 0
2019 3,018 3,013 5
2018 3,482 3,475 7
2017 4,159 4,159 0
2016 4,949 4,944 5
2015 5,799 5,794 5
2014 6,632 6,622 10
2013 7,438 7,422 16
2012 8,275 8,260 15
2011 9,033 9,016 17
2010 9,638 9,626 12
2009 10,755 10,742 13
2008 11,785 11,752 33
2007 11,889 11,863 26
2006 10,500 10,479 21
2005 9,357 9,340 17
2004 8,665 8,610 55
2003 8,784 8,764 20
2002 6,967 6,951 16
2001 5,272 5,260 12
2000 4,696 4,686 10
1999 3,672 3,659 13
1998 3,204 3,195 9
1997 2,764 2,758 6
1996 1,638 1,633 5
1995 1,193 1,193 0
1994 1,121 1,121 0
1993 951 945 6
1992 1,067 1,067 0
1991 854 849 5
1990 860 860 0
1989 629 629 0
1988 549 544 5
1987 637 630 7
1986 535 535 0
1985 522 522 0
1984 518 513 5
1983 690 690 0
1982 477 477 0
1981 492 492 0
1980 350 350 0
1979 317 317 0
1978 366 366 0
1977 308 303 5
1976 317 317 0
1975 261 261 0
1974 270 270 0
1973 232 232 0
1972 174 174 0
1971 218 218 0
1970 207 207 0
1969 223 223 0
1968 189 189 0
1967 173 173 0
1966 147 147 0
1965 161 161 0
1964 152 152 0
1963 159 159 0
1962 154 154 0
1961 113 113 0
1960 100 100 0
1959 57 57 0
1958 71 71 0
1957 37 37 0
1956 65 65 0
1955 61 61 0
1954 76 76 0
1953 42 42 0
1952 38 38 0
1951 30 30 0
1950 27 27 0
1949 25 25 0
1948 24 24 0
1947 28 28 0
1946 22 22 0
1945 12 12 0
1944 13 13 0
1943 6 6 0
1942 17 17 0
1941 17 17 0
1940 13 13 0
1939 10 10 0
1938 10 10 0
1937 15 15 0
1936 9 9 0
1935 14 14 0
1934 5 5 0
1933 13 13 0
1932 15 15 0
1931 13 13 0
1930 9 9 0
1929 7 7 0
1928 13 13 0
1927 13 13 0
1926 15 15 0
1925 14 14 0
1924 11 11 0
1923 12 12 0
1922 12 12 0
1921 15 15 0
1920 12 12 0
1919 16 16 0
1917 9 9 0
1915 9 9 0
1914 10 10 0
1913 5 5 0

Top States for Gavin (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
TX 108
8%
NY 105
8%
CA 90
7%
FL 82
6%
PA 79
6%
OH 57
4%
IL 53
4%
MN 51
4%
VA 49
4%
NJ 47
3%
MI 44
3%
MA 43
3%
NC 42
3%
IN 35
3%
WI 32
2%
WA 30
2%
AZ 29
2%
CO 28
2%
IA 28
2%
GA 27
2%
TN 25
2%
MO 25
2%
MD 24
2%
KY 21
2%
CT 18
1%
SC 17
1%
LA 16
1%
AL 15
1%
OK 12
1%
UT 11
1%
AR 11
1%
NH 10
1%
ND 10
1%
ME 10
1%
WV 8
1%
MT 8
1%
RI 8
1%
SD 7
1%
KS 7
1%
OR 7
1%
NE 7
1%
NV 6
0%
DE 6
0%
MS 6
0%
ID 6
0%
AK 5
0%
VT 5
0%