Kevin Boy

Popularity: #212 · 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, Texas, and Pennsylvania.

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.

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.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 1,628 1,628 0
2024 1,830 1,825 5
2023 1,925 1,920 5
2022 2,077 2,077 0
2021 2,111 2,111 0
2020 2,393 2,385 8
2019 2,622 2,622 0
2018 3,143 3,143 0
2017 3,843 3,834 9
2016 4,563 4,557 6
2015 5,198 5,184 14
2014 5,916 5,902 14
2013 5,956 5,946 10
2012 6,239 6,232 7
2011 6,583 6,568 15
2010 7,337 7,330 7
2009 8,801 8,780 21
2008 9,809 9,798 11
2007 10,560 10,537 23
2006 10,806 10,779 27
2005 10,948 10,917 31
2004 11,266 11,220 46
2003 11,762 11,734 28
2002 12,077 12,046 31
2001 12,632 12,596 36
2000 12,705 12,674 31
1999 12,292 12,257 35
1998 12,526 12,510 16
1997 13,328 13,295 33
1996 14,624 14,589 35
1995 15,919 15,860 59
1994 17,372 17,315 57
1993 19,137 19,084 53
1992 19,706 19,647 59
1991 20,343 20,262 81
1990 20,484 20,413 71
1989 21,308 21,209 99
1988 20,284 20,168 116
1987 20,563 20,421 142
1986 20,081 19,935 146
1985 18,961 18,814 147
1984 17,982 17,858 124
1983 17,521 17,377 144
1982 17,580 17,462 118
1981 17,565 17,454 111
1980 18,089 17,972 117
1979 18,853 18,733 120
1978 20,199 20,094 105
1977 22,612 22,463 149
1976 18,587 18,474 113
1975 18,172 18,066 106
1974 19,588 19,461 127
1973 20,902 20,768 134
1972 22,472 22,354 118
1971 24,984 24,850 134
1970 27,096 26,968 128
1969 23,685 23,557 128
1968 23,987 23,862 125
1967 24,720 24,603 117
1966 25,715 25,592 123
1965 28,294 28,177 117
1964 29,471 29,357 114
1963 30,734 30,613 121
1962 28,416 28,325 91
1961 29,034 28,926 108
1960 28,493 28,400 93
1959 26,889 26,790 99
1958 24,759 24,666 93
1957 24,375 24,285 90
1956 21,828 21,761 67
1955 17,226 17,158 68
1954 15,402 15,322 80
1953 10,073 10,011 62
1952 7,961 7,916 45
1951 6,394 6,349 45
1950 4,790 4,752 38
1949 3,323 3,292 31
1948 2,252 2,225 27
1947 1,563 1,549 14
1946 1,051 1,035 16
1945 703 689 14
1944 601 594 7
1943 644 639 5
1942 529 529 0
1941 424 418 6
1940 298 298 0
1939 278 273 5
1938 251 245 6
1937 178 178 0
1936 153 153 0
1935 175 175 0
1934 151 151 0
1933 132 132 0
1932 122 122 0
1931 110 110 0
1930 84 84 0
1929 75 75 0
1928 68 68 0
1927 67 67 0
1926 46 46 0
1925 61 61 0
1924 50 50 0
1923 53 53 0
1922 71 71 0
1921 84 84 0
1920 24 24 0
1919 14 14 0
1918 21 21 0
1917 19 19 0
1916 18 18 0
1915 15 15 0
1914 12 12 0
1913 9 9 0
1912 9 9 0

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. 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 270
15%
TX 213
12%
FL 125
7%
NY 123
7%
PA 71
4%
IL 65
4%
OH 61
3%
NC 60
3%
VA 57
3%
GA 57
3%
NJ 56
3%
IN 45
3%
WA 45
3%
MA 45
3%
MD 43
2%
MI 41
2%
LA 37
2%
MO 35
2%
CT 34
2%
TN 33
2%
AL 31
2%
AZ 27
2%
SC 22
1%
KY 20
1%
CO 20
1%
MN 17
1%
WI 17
1%
NE 14
1%
IA 13
1%
DE 13
1%
UT 12
1%
OK 12
1%
OR 12
1%
NM 10
1%
MS 9
1%
AR 8
0%
KS 8
0%
NV 8
0%
RI 6
0%