Kelvin Boy

Popularity: #726 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: KEL-vin //ˈkɛlvɪn//

Origin: Scottish; English

Meaning: Scottish: narrow river; English: from the place of the river

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Kelvin has its roots in the Scottish Gaelic language, derived from the word "caol," meaning "narrow" or "slender." This etymology is linked to the River Kelvin in Scotland, which flows through the city of Glasgow. The river's name itself is believed to have originated from the Gaelic term "Caol Fhinn," which translates to "narrowing of the river." The name Kelvin entered the English language through geographical references, particularly as a surname before becoming adopted as a given name in the 19th century.

Historically, the name gained prominence due to its association with notable figures, most famously the physicist William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin, who was a key figure in the development of thermodynamics in the 19th century. His work led to the establishment of the Kelvin scale of absolute temperature, which is still widely used in scientific contexts today.

The title "Baron Kelvin" was conferred upon him in 1892, further solidifying the name's connection to scientific achievement and innovation. Culturally, the name Kelvin has been embraced in various contexts, often symbolizing intellect and scientific inquiry due to its association with Lord Kelvin.

The name has also been used in literature and popular culture, reinforcing its presence in the English-speaking world. Additionally, diminutive forms such as "Kel" have emerged, reflecting a more informal or affectionate usage of the name.

Overall, Kelvin carries a legacy that intertwines geographical origins, scientific advancements, and cultural significance.

Famous people named Kelvin

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

We also feature individuals named Kelvin 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.

Kelvin Fletcher is an actor best known for Emmerdale, Strictly Come Dancing, and The Full Monty.

Kelvin Sampson is a basketball coach best known for his work with the University of Houston and Indiana University.

Kelvin Gastelum is a mixed martial artist best known for competing in the UFC Middleweight division and his fights against Israel Adesanya and Michael Bisping.

Sibling suggestions

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

KevinKellanKendallKieranKurtKyle

Similar names

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

KellanKendrickKelbyKendallKieranKurtis

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Kelvin was first seen in the United States in 1912.

Kelvin has ranked as high as #441 nationally, which occurred in 1961, and has been most popular in New York, Texas, California, Georgia, and Florida.

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

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Kelvin 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 Kelvin 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 Kelvin.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 214 214 0
2024 201 201 0
2023 232 232 0
2022 254 254 0
2021 254 254 0
2020 242 242 0
2019 317 317 0
2018 281 281 0
2017 328 328 0
2016 336 336 0
2015 399 399 0
2014 366 366 0
2013 412 412 0
2012 474 474 0
2011 465 465 0
2010 497 497 0
2009 572 572 0
2008 606 606 0
2007 623 623 0
2006 632 632 0
2005 617 617 0
2004 636 631 5
2003 644 644 0
2002 659 659 0
2001 618 618 0
2000 657 657 0
1999 687 687 0
1998 698 698 0
1997 598 598 0
1996 678 678 0
1995 720 713 7
1994 749 749 0
1993 780 774 6
1992 808 796 12
1991 840 835 5
1990 875 870 5
1989 838 826 12
1988 800 793 7
1987 759 748 11
1986 726 715 11
1985 750 741 9
1984 696 689 7
1983 678 666 12
1982 726 726 0
1981 650 650 0
1980 618 613 5
1979 669 664 5
1978 758 752 6
1977 790 785 5
1976 733 733 0
1975 738 727 11
1974 775 766 9
1973 836 826 10
1972 897 884 13
1971 889 882 7
1970 923 912 11
1969 952 943 9
1968 1,009 998 11
1967 1,068 1,058 10
1966 1,085 1,079 6
1965 1,208 1,197 11
1964 1,266 1,257 9
1963 1,341 1,333 8
1962 1,333 1,326 7
1961 1,380 1,370 10
1960 1,310 1,299 11
1959 1,027 1,017 10
1958 776 770 6
1957 806 806 0
1956 762 757 5
1955 530 530 0
1954 441 441 0
1953 281 281 0
1952 260 260 0
1951 181 181 0
1950 139 139 0
1949 42 42 0
1948 33 33 0
1947 27 27 0
1946 21 21 0
1945 20 20 0
1944 14 14 0
1943 11 11 0
1942 21 21 0
1941 18 18 0
1940 21 21 0
1939 22 22 0
1938 16 16 0
1937 13 13 0
1936 37 37 0
1935 34 34 0
1934 23 23 0
1933 5 5 0
1932 9 9 0
1931 14 14 0
1930 9 9 0
1929 9 9 0
1928 12 12 0
1927 10 10 0
1926 5 5 0
1925 10 10 0
1924 10 10 0
1921 5 5 0
1915 5 5 0
1912 6 6 0

Top States for Kelvin (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
FL 21
13%
CA 18
11%
TX 16
10%
NY 14
8%
MD 11
7%
PA 11
7%
GA 9
5%
TN 8
5%
WA 7
4%
OH 7
4%
IL 7
4%
LA 7
4%
VA 7
4%
AL 6
4%
NJ 6
4%
AZ 6
4%
NC 5
3%