Fun Facts About the Name Kevin
- An all-time favorite: U.S. records show 1,184,502 boys named Kevin from 1880 through 2025.
- Decades of popularity: Kevin stayed in the U.S. top 100 for 68 consecutive years, from 1949 through 2016.
- More than 1 million babies named Kevin: U.S. records list 1,189,835 babies given the name Kevin from 1880 through 2025. Even 5,333 girls received the name Kevin - about 1 girl for every 222 boys.
What Does the Name Kevin Mean?
Kevin is the English form of the Irish name Caoimhín, which is built from Old Irish cóem, an adjective meaning "dear, beloved, gentle, comely," plus the diminutive suffix -ín. Taken literally, the name means something like "little dear one" or "dearly beloved." The common gloss "gentle and beloved" comes from the base word cóem itself, not from a later symbolic reading.
A second explanation ties the name to Cóemgen, the Old Irish form recorded for the seventh-century founder of the monastery at Glendalough. That form can be analyzed as cóem plus gein ("birth"), which would give the sense "of gentle or comely birth"; the popular translation "handsome birth" rests on this reading. Modern Irish preserves both Caoimhín and Caoimhghín, and the second spelling keeps the gh of gein, which supports the compound analysis. It is not settled whether the diminutive arose on its own from cóem or grew out of the older compound, so dictionaries often list the "beloved" and the "noble birth" senses side by side.
Kevin Name History & Origins
The name is Irish in origin. Its earliest recorded form is Old Irish Cóemgen, Latinized as Coemgenus, borne by the founder of the monastic settlement at Glendalough in County Wicklow, who died around 618 and is venerated as Saint Kevin; his feast is kept on 3 June. Irish annals and genealogies record both the saint and later bearers under that spelling.
For centuries the name remained largely within Ireland. In the course of its transmission it developed the Irish spellings Caoimhghín and Caoimhín, and English speakers reshaped it to familiar English sounds as Kevin, dropping the initial consonant cluster and the slender final vowel of the Irish form.
Large-scale emigration from Ireland in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries carried the name to Britain, North America, and Australia, where it became a familiar given name in ordinary use. Its Irish associations, especially the link to the saint of Glendalough, remained part of how the name was understood. Related spellings in English include Kevan and Kevyn; the Irish surname Ó Caoimh, anglicized as O'Keeffe, comes from the same adjective but is a separate name.
How Popular is the Name Kevin?
Kevin remained among the top 100 boy names in the U.S. from 1949 to 2016. Its highest annual birth count was in 1963, and people born that year turn 63 in 2026.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | #16,448 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2020 | #11,624 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2017 | #11,160 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2016 | #15,312 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2015 | #8,223 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2014 | #8,287 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2013 | #10,637 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2012 | #14,271 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2011 | #7,998 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2010 | #14,263 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2009 | #6,432 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 2008 | #10,447 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2007 | #6,001 | 23 | 0.0012% |
| 2006 | #5,166 | 27 | 0.0014% |
| 2005 | #4,428 | 31 | 0.0017% |
| 2004 | #3,298 | 46 | 0.0025% |
| 2003 | #4,609 | 28 | 0.0015% |
| 2002 | #4,130 | 31 | 0.0017% |
| 2001 | #3,666 | 36 | 0.0020% |
| 2000 | #4,033 | 31 | 0.0017% |
| 1999 | #3,541 | 35 | 0.0020% |
| 1998 | #6,219 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1997 | #3,496 | 33 | 0.0019% |
| 1996 | #3,332 | 35 | 0.0020% |
| 1995 | #2,266 | 59 | 0.0034% |
| 1994 | #2,307 | 57 | 0.0032% |
| 1993 | #2,400 | 53 | 0.0029% |
| 1992 | #2,259 | 59 | 0.0032% |
| 1991 | #1,771 | 81 | 0.0043% |
| 1990 | #1,946 | 71 | 0.0037% |
| 1989 | #1,477 | 99 | 0.0054% |
| 1988 | #1,262 | 116 | 0.0065% |
| 1987 | #1,077 | 142 | 0.0082% |
| 1986 | #1,038 | 146 | 0.0085% |
| 1985 | #1,026 | 147 | 0.0085% |
| 1984 | #1,114 | 124 | 0.0074% |
| 1983 | #998 | 144 | 0.0086% |
| 1982 | #1,169 | 118 | 0.0070% |
| 1981 | #1,190 | 111 | 0.0067% |
| 1980 | #1,157 | 117 | 0.0070% |
| 1979 | #1,121 | 120 | 0.0075% |
| 1978 | #1,195 | 105 | 0.0069% |
| 1977 | #933 | 149 | 0.0097% |
| 1976 | #1,081 | 113 | 0.0077% |
| 1975 | #1,102 | 106 | 0.0073% |
| 1974 | #972 | 127 | 0.0087% |
| 1973 | #924 | 134 | 0.0092% |
| 1972 | #1,003 | 118 | 0.0078% |
| 1971 | #954 | 134 | 0.0081% |
| 1970 | #977 | 129 | 0.0074% |
| 1969 | #941 | 128 | 0.0076% |
| 1968 | #927 | 125 | 0.0076% |
| 1967 | #944 | 117 | 0.0071% |
| 1966 | #911 | 123 | 0.0073% |
| 1965 | #946 | 117 | 0.0066% |
| 1964 | #1,004 | 114 | 0.0060% |
| 1963 | #967 | 121 | 0.0063% |
| 1962 | #1,145 | 91 | 0.0046% |
| 1961 | #1,058 | 108 | 0.0054% |
| 1960 | #1,129 | 93 | 0.0046% |
| 1959 | #1,075 | 99 | 0.0049% |
| 1958 | #1,092 | 93 | 0.0046% |
| 1957 | #1,103 | 90 | 0.0044% |
| 1956 | #1,275 | 67 | 0.0033% |
| 1955 | #1,226 | 68 | 0.0035% |
| 1954 | #1,105 | 80 | 0.0041% |
| 1953 | #1,232 | 62 | 0.0033% |
| 1952 | #1,447 | 45 | 0.0024% |
| 1951 | #1,403 | 45 | 0.0025% |
| 1950 | #1,511 | 38 | 0.0022% |
| 1949 | #1,722 | 31 | 0.0018% |
| 1948 | #1,837 | 27 | 0.0016% |
| 1947 | #2,830 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1946 | #2,431 | 16 | 0.0010% |
| 1945 | #2,396 | 14 | 0.0011% |
| 1944 | #3,892 | 7 | 0.0005% |
| 1943 | #5,019 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1941 | #4,195 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1939 | #4,587 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1938 | #4,088 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #221 | 1,628 | 0.0953% |
| 2024 | #196 | 1,822 | 0.1062% |
| 2023 | #187 | 1,919 | 0.1123% |
| 2022 | #182 | 2,077 | 0.1191% |
| 2021 | #183 | 2,109 | 0.1206% |
| 2020 | #157 | 2,384 | 0.1382% |
| 2019 | #149 | 2,622 | 0.1462% |
| 2018 | #125 | 3,143 | 0.1731% |
| 2017 | #102 | 3,833 | 0.2072% |
| 2016 | #90 | 4,554 | 0.2400% |
| 2015 | #79 | 5,184 | 0.2705% |
| 2014 | #70 | 5,901 | 0.3073% |
| 2013 | #72 | 5,945 | 0.3143% |
| 2012 | #69 | 6,232 | 0.3286% |
| 2011 | #67 | 6,568 | 0.3459% |
| 2010 | #59 | 7,328 | 0.3820% |
| 2009 | #44 | 8,780 | 0.4427% |
| 2008 | #41 | 9,798 | 0.4803% |
| 2007 | #39 | 10,537 | 0.5077% |
| 2006 | #37 | 10,779 | 0.5245% |
| 2005 | #33 | 10,917 | 0.5466% |
| 2004 | #34 | 11,220 | 0.5653% |
| 2003 | #32 | 11,734 | 0.5940% |
| 2002 | #33 | 12,046 | 0.6205% |
| 2001 | #32 | 12,595 | 0.6483% |
| 2000 | #32 | 12,673 | 0.6453% |
| 1999 | #34 | 12,257 | 0.6384% |
| 1998 | #32 | 12,509 | 0.6545% |
| 1997 | #28 | 13,294 | 0.7052% |
| 1996 | #26 | 14,589 | 0.7702% |
| 1995 | #25 | 15,858 | 0.8330% |
| 1994 | #26 | 17,315 | 0.8963% |
| 1993 | #25 | 19,082 | 0.9729% |
| 1992 | #25 | 19,646 | 0.9836% |
| 1991 | #23 | 20,261 | 1.0029% |
| 1990 | #23 | 20,412 | 0.9938% |
| 1989 | #19 | 21,209 | 1.0600% |
| 1988 | #20 | 20,170 | 1.0537% |
| 1987 | #19 | 20,421 | 1.0938% |
| 1986 | #21 | 19,935 | 1.0825% |
| 1985 | #23 | 18,813 | 1.0179% |
| 1984 | #24 | 17,862 | 0.9896% |
| 1983 | #25 | 17,378 | 0.9694% |
| 1982 | #24 | 17,465 | 0.9625% |
| 1981 | #25 | 17,456 | 0.9745% |
| 1980 | #23 | 17,976 | 1.0076% |
| 1979 | #19 | 18,734 | 1.0881% |
| 1978 | #15 | 20,096 | 1.2239% |
| 1977 | #13 | 22,461 | 1.3668% |
| 1976 | #15 | 18,476 | 1.1774% |
| 1975 | #15 | 18,065 | 1.1569% |
| 1974 | #14 | 19,464 | 1.2378% |
| 1973 | #14 | 20,771 | 1.3326% |
| 1972 | #13 | 22,357 | 1.3786% |
| 1971 | #14 | 24,850 | 1.4051% |
| 1970 | #14 | 26,970 | 1.4513% |
| 1969 | #16 | 23,555 | 1.3172% |
| 1968 | #17 | 23,862 | 1.3729% |
| 1967 | #17 | 24,603 | 1.4108% |
| 1966 | #17 | 25,594 | 1.4351% |
| 1965 | #13 | 28,183 | 1.5150% |
| 1964 | #13 | 29,355 | 1.4731% |
| 1963 | #11 | 30,611 | 1.5073% |
| 1962 | #14 | 28,331 | 1.3695% |
| 1961 | #14 | 28,919 | 1.3616% |
| 1960 | #15 | 28,388 | 1.3316% |
| 1959 | #14 | 26,794 | 1.2553% |
| 1958 | #20 | 24,661 | 1.1620% |
| 1957 | #20 | 24,286 | 1.1258% |
| 1956 | #22 | 21,763 | 1.0288% |
| 1955 | #27 | 17,156 | 0.8329% |
| 1954 | #28 | 15,322 | 0.7515% |
| 1953 | #36 | 10,011 | 0.5076% |
| 1952 | #43 | 7,916 | 0.4073% |
| 1951 | #53 | 6,350 | 0.3373% |
| 1950 | #73 | 4,751 | 0.2654% |
| 1949 | #95 | 3,292 | 0.1856% |
| 1948 | #127 | 2,228 | 0.1270% |
| 1947 | #160 | 1,549 | 0.0847% |
| 1946 | #179 | 1,035 | 0.0637% |
| 1945 | #207 | 689 | 0.0512% |
| 1944 | #231 | 594 | 0.0436% |
| 1943 | #227 | 639 | 0.0448% |
| 1942 | #250 | 529 | 0.0383% |
| 1941 | #280 | 418 | 0.0340% |
| 1940 | #332 | 298 | 0.0257% |
| 1939 | #339 | 273 | 0.0247% |
| 1938 | #354 | 246 | 0.0222% |
| 1937 | #425 | 178 | 0.0167% |
| 1936 | #455 | 153 | 0.0148% |
| 1935 | #421 | 175 | 0.0168% |
| 1934 | #458 | 151 | 0.0146% |
| 1933 | #489 | 132 | 0.0133% |
| 1932 | #533 | 121 | 0.0116% |
| 1931 | #558 | 111 | 0.0107% |
| 1930 | #683 | 84 | 0.0077% |
| 1929 | #725 | 75 | 0.0070% |
| 1928 | #793 | 68 | 0.0061% |
| 1927 | #816 | 67 | 0.0059% |
| 1926 | #1,027 | 46 | 0.0041% |
| 1925 | #854 | 61 | 0.0055% |
| 1924 | #999 | 50 | 0.0044% |
| 1923 | #943 | 53 | 0.0048% |
| 1922 | #797 | 71 | 0.0065% |
| 1921 | #720 | 84 | 0.0076% |
| 1920 | #1,572 | 24 | 0.0023% |
| 1919 | #2,204 | 14 | 0.0014% |
| 1918 | #1,683 | 21 | 0.0021% |
| 1917 | #1,730 | 19 | 0.0021% |
| 1916 | #1,732 | 18 | 0.0020% |
| 1915 | #1,930 | 15 | 0.0018% |
| 1914 | #1,916 | 12 | 0.0018% |
| 1913 | #2,020 | 9 | 0.0018% |
| 1912 | #1,819 | 9 | 0.0021% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
