Given name & surname
Irvin
“a triend of the sea”
Irvin is a variant of Irving. One English interpretation is “a triend of the sea.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Irvin is a variant of Irving. One English interpretation is “a triend of the sea.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Irvin is a variant of Irving. An origin associated with Irving is Scottish.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Irvin through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 39,997
- 39,922 boys · 75 girls
- Most popular year
- 1923
- 826 babies
- 2025
- 80
- #1,937 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −25%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 80 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 1,937 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 25.0% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 817 in 1923. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (17). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 17,413 as a first name in 2020; 20,083 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Irvin’s family of names
Irvin has a related form in Irving. In English usage, Irvin has a conventional equivalent in the Polish form Erwin. In English usage, Irvin has a related form in Irv.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Irvin has relatives in 4 languages.
4 related names in 4 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 5
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 2
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Irvin
- Irvin KershnerAmerican film director (1923–2010)
- Irvin McDowellAmerican general (1818–1885)
- Irvin CardonaMaltese footballerborn 1997
- Irvin S. CobbAmerican writer (1876-1944)
- Irvin Willatfilm director (1890-1976)
- Irvin YeaworthGerman film director (1926-2004)
- Irvin CohenAmerican mathematician1917–1955
- Irvin HerreraBiografyborn 1991
- Pee WeeAmerican singer and songwriterborn 1988
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Irvin, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Orrin
“from the river”
>99% boys
Mervin
“a friend of the sea”
>99% boys
Wilton
“from the town on the river”
>99% boys
Anton
“a flourishing man; from an ancient Roman family”
>99% boys
Sylvester
“man from the forest”
>99% boys
Early
“daughter born prematurely” · “one who is punctual”
>99% boys
Clarence
“from the Clare river”
>99% boys
Verlin
“from the alder-tree grove”
93% boys · 7% girls