Harvey Boy
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: HAR-vee //ˈhɑːrvi//
Origin: Old French; Germanic
Meaning: Old French: 'battle worthy'; Germanic: 'strong army'
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Harvey has its roots in the Old Breton name "Haerviu," which is composed of the elements "haer," meaning "battle," and "viu," meaning "worthy" or "brave." This name was introduced to England by the Normans after the Conquest of 1066, evolving through various forms such as "Herve" in Old French before becoming established in Middle English as "Harvey." The transition into English was facilitated by the cultural exchanges and linguistic influences that accompanied the Norman rule, embedding the name within the English-speaking populace. Historically, the name Harvey is associated with Saint Harvey, a Breton saint from the 6th century, who is venerated in Brittany, France.
His legacy contributed to the name's spread, particularly in the regions of England with strong ties to Brittany. The name also appears in various historical texts and records, including the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is noted in the context of land ownership and lineage, indicating its early adoption among the Anglo-Norman aristocracy.
Culturally, the name Harvey has been linked to notions of valor and nobility, resonating with the qualities suggested by its etymological roots. It has been used in various literary and artistic contexts, symbolizing strength and honor.
The diminutive form "Harv" has also emerged, though it is less commonly noted in historical texts. Overall, the name Harvey carries a rich historical and cultural significance, reflecting the intertwining of language, history, and identity in medieval England.
Famous people named Harvey
In this section, you will find notable people named Harvey. 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 Harvey who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Harvey 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.
Harvey Weinstein is a film producer best known for Pulp Fiction, Shakespeare in Love, and The King's Speech.
Harvey Keitel is an actor best known for Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, and The Piano.
Harvey Fierstein is an actor and playwright best known for Torch Song Trilogy, La Cage aux Folles, and Hairspray.
Harvey Milk is a civil rights activist best known for being one of the first openly gay elected officials in the United States.
Fictional characters named Harvey
The following list of fictional characters named Harvey 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.
Harvey is a fictional character from the play and film Harvey. He is an imaginary rabbit that only Elwood P. Dowd can see, representing themes of friendship and mental health.
Harvey Dent is a fictional character from the DC Comics universe. He is a prominent district attorney in Gotham City who becomes the villain Two-Face after a tragic accident.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Harvey, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Harvey. 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.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Harvey was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Harvey has ranked as high as #202 nationally, which occurred in 1921, and has been most popular in New York, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, California, and Texas.
In the past 5 years the name Harvey has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Harvey 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 Harvey was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Harvey (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| TX | 120 | |
| CA | 109 | |
| MN | 72 | |
| FL | 67 | |
| NY | 63 | |
| UT | 60 | |
| MI | 59 | |
| OH | 58 | |
| PA | 56 | |
| WI | 51 | |
| WA | 49 | |
| MO | 42 | |
| NC | 40 | |
| GA | 37 | |
| IL | 36 |
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 Harvey.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 1,441 |
| 2023 | 1,028 |
| 2022 | 794 |
| 2021 | 733 |
| 2020 | 714 |
| 2019 | 773 |
| 2018 | 683 |
| 2017 | 856 |
| 2016 | 778 |
| 2015 | 697 |
| 2014 | 578 |
| 2013 | 406 |
| 2012 | 288 |
| 2011 | 250 |
| 2010 | 189 |
| 2009 | 181 |
| 2008 | 145 |
| 2007 | 151 |
| 2006 | 143 |
| 2005 | 162 |
| 2004 | 153 |
| 2003 | 139 |
| 2002 | 138 |
| 2001 | 134 |
| 2000 | 162 |
| 1999 | 143 |
| 1998 | 139 |
| 1997 | 153 |
| 1996 | 142 |
| 1995 | 145 |
| 1994 | 170 |
| 1993 | 180 |
| 1992 | 177 |
| 1991 | 191 |
| 1990 | 214 |
| 1989 | 232 |
| 1988 | 254 |
| 1987 | 216 |
| 1986 | 189 |
| 1985 | 233 |
| 1984 | 206 |
| 1983 | 259 |
| 1982 | 254 |
| 1981 | 285 |
| 1980 | 284 |
| 1979 | 298 |
| 1978 | 320 |
| 1977 | 319 |
| 1976 | 327 |
| 1975 | 339 |
| 1974 | 425 |
| 1973 | 401 |
| 1972 | 443 |
| 1971 | 495 |
| 1970 | 542 |
| 1969 | 577 |
| 1968 | 630 |
| 1967 | 623 |
| 1966 | 661 |
| 1965 | 722 |
| 1964 | 865 |
| 1963 | 887 |
| 1962 | 859 |
| 1961 | 958 |
| 1960 | 1,001 |
| 1959 | 1,082 |
| 1958 | 1,178 |
| 1957 | 1,278 |
| 1956 | 1,379 |
| 1955 | 1,289 |
| 1954 | 1,460 |
| 1953 | 1,535 |
| 1952 | 1,594 |
| 1951 | 1,642 |
| 1950 | 1,811 |
| 1949 | 1,936 |
| 1948 | 2,004 |
| 1947 | 2,207 |
| 1946 | 2,058 |
| 1945 | 1,974 |
| 1944 | 1,951 |
| 1943 | 2,244 |
| 1942 | 2,284 |
| 1941 | 2,017 |
| 1940 | 2,088 |
| 1939 | 1,946 |
| 1938 | 2,051 |
| 1937 | 2,081 |
| 1936 | 1,970 |
| 1935 | 1,958 |
| 1934 | 1,934 |
| 1933 | 1,896 |
| 1932 | 2,030 |
| 1931 | 1,978 |
| 1930 | 2,062 |
| 1929 | 2,063 |
| 1928 | 2,187 |
| 1927 | 2,201 |
| 1926 | 2,128 |
| 1925 | 2,190 |
| 1924 | 2,242 |
| 1923 | 2,115 |
| 1922 | 2,207 |
| 1921 | 2,287 |
| 1920 | 2,165 |
| 1919 | 2,028 |
| 1918 | 2,111 |
| 1917 | 1,808 |
| 1916 | 1,763 |
| 1915 | 1,613 |
| 1914 | 1,250 |
| 1913 | 1,028 |
| 1912 | 875 |
| 1911 | 446 |
| 1910 | 382 |
| 1909 | 361 |
| 1908 | 339 |
| 1907 | 335 |
| 1906 | 351 |
| 1905 | 286 |
| 1904 | 300 |
| 1903 | 293 |
| 1902 | 264 |
| 1901 | 253 |
| 1900 | 322 |
| 1899 | 251 |
| 1898 | 284 |
| 1897 | 268 |
| 1896 | 292 |
| 1895 | 282 |
| 1894 | 293 |
| 1893 | 284 |
| 1892 | 298 |
| 1891 | 274 |
| 1890 | 296 |
| 1889 | 311 |
| 1888 | 334 |
| 1887 | 262 |
| 1886 | 310 |
| 1885 | 304 |
| 1884 | 358 |
| 1883 | 318 |
| 1882 | 300 |
| 1881 | 282 |
| 1880 | 344 |