Kevin Boy

Popularity: #188 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: KEV-in //ˈkɛv.ɪn//

Origin: Irish; Latin

Meaning: Irish: 'handsome'; Latin: 'kind, gentle'

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Kevin has its roots in the Irish name "Caoimhín," which is derived from the Old Irish elements "caomh," meaning "gentle," "kind," or "noble," and "-ín," a diminutive suffix. This etymological development traces back to the early medieval period in Ireland, where the name was borne by several saints, most notably Saint Kevin (Caoimhín), who founded the monastery at Glendalough in the 6th century.

His life and works were chronicled in various hagiographies, contributing to the name's significance in Irish culture and its spread beyond Ireland. The name gained further prominence through the Latinized form "Caoiminus" in ecclesiastical texts, which was used in the context of the Christianization of Ireland.

The name became more widely recognized in the English-speaking world through the influence of the Irish diaspora, particularly during the 19th and early 20th centuries. The Anglicization of Caoimhín to Kevin facilitated its adoption in English-speaking countries, where it was embraced for its gentle connotations and historical associations with nobility and kindness.

Culturally, Kevin has been associated with various symbolic meanings, including the virtues of gentleness and kindness, which resonate with the qualities attributed to Saint Kevin. The name has also been linked to themes of leadership and spirituality, reflecting the saint's role as a monastic leader.

Additionally, diminutive forms such as "Kev" have emerged in colloquial usage, though they are less historically significant. Overall, Kevin's enduring legacy is tied to its rich linguistic roots and the cultural narratives surrounding its early bearers.

Famous people named Kevin

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

We also feature individuals named Kevin 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.

Kevin Spacey is an actor best known for American Beauty, House of Cards, and The Usual Suspects.

Kevin Hart is a comedian and actor best known for Ride Along, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, and Central Intelligence.

Kevin Bacon is an actor best known for Footloose, A Few Good Men, and The Following.

Kevin Costner is an actor and filmmaker best known for Dances with Wolves, Field of Dreams, and The Bodyguard.

Kevin Durant is a professional basketball player best known for his time with the Golden State Warriors, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Brooklyn Nets.

Kevin James is an actor and comedian best known for The King of Queens, Paul Blart: Mall Cop, and Grown Ups.

Kevin Smith is a filmmaker and actor best known for Clerks, Chasing Amy, and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.

Kevin McHale is a former professional basketball player best known for his time with the Boston Celtics and his Hall of Fame career.

Kevin Garnett is a former professional basketball player best known for his time with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Boston Celtics, and Brooklyn Nets.

Fictional characters named Kevin

The following list of fictional characters named Kevin 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.

Kevin McCallister is a fictional character from the film Home Alone. He is an eight-year-old boy who defends his home from burglars after being accidentally left behind by his family during Christmas vacation.

Kevin Arnold is a fictional character from the TV series The Wonder Years. He is the main protagonist who navigates the challenges of adolescence in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Sibling suggestions

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

KyleKieranKendallKylieKadenKellan

Similar names

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

CameronConnorKieranCalebColinKurtKurtisKendrickKellan

U.S. Historical Usage

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

Kevin has ranked as high as #15 nationally, which occurred in 1963, and has been most popular in California, New York, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.

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

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Kevin 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 Kevin was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Top States for Kevin (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
CA 270
16%
TX 213
12%
FL 125
7%
NY 123
7%
PA 71
4%
IL 65
4%
OH 61
4%
NC 60
3%
VA 57
3%
GA 57
3%
IN 45
3%
WA 45
3%
MA 45
3%
MD 43
3%
MI 41
2%

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 Kevin.

YearBirths
20241,822
20231,919
20222,077
20212,109
20202,384
20192,622
20183,143
20173,833
20164,554
20155,184
20145,901
20135,945
20126,232
20116,568
20107,328
20098,780
20089,798
200710,537
200610,779
200510,917
200411,220
200311,734
200212,046
200112,595
200012,673
199912,257
199812,509
199713,294
199614,589
199515,858
199417,315
199319,082
199219,646
199120,261
199020,412
198921,209
198820,170
198720,421
198619,935
198518,813
198417,862
198317,378
198217,465
198117,456
198017,976
197918,734
197820,096
197722,461
197618,476
197518,065
197419,464
197320,771
197222,357
197124,850
197026,970
196923,555
196823,862
196724,603
196625,594
196528,183
196429,355
196330,611
196228,331
196128,919
196028,388
195926,794
195824,661
195724,286
195621,763
195517,156
195415,322
195310,011
19527,916
19516,350
19504,751
19493,292
19482,228
19471,549
19461,035
1945689
1944594
1943639
1942529
1941418
1940298
1939273
1938246
1937178
1936153
1935175
1934151
1933132
1932121
1931111
193084
192975
192868
192767
192646
192561
192450
192353
192271
192184
192024
191914
191821
191719
191618
191515
191412
19139
19129