Given name & surname · also Old English
Irwin
“a friend of the wild boar”
Irwin is used as a given name and a surname. One English interpretation is “a friend of the wild boar.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One English interpretation is “a friend of the wild boar.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Old English.
How it developed
It entered given-name use through an existing surname.
The story
Its naming history includes the use of a family name as a given name.
Irwin through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 15,958
- 15,946 boys · 12 girls
- Most popular year
- 1925
- 534 babies
- 2025
- 13
- #6,600 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −25%
- Easing
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 13 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 6,600 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 25.3% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 527 in 1925. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 6,182 as a first name in 2020; 32,386 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.
Irwin’s family of names
In English usage, Irwin has a related form in Erwin. In English usage, Irwin has a conventional equivalent in the Polish form Erwin. Irwin has a related form in Irwen.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Irwin has relatives in 3 languages. Lines run from its Old English roots to each of them.
1 related names in 3 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 9
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Erwinvariant · English, Polish
- Irwennevariant
- Irwennvariant
- Irwenvariant
- Irwinevariant
- Irwynnevariant
- Irwynvariant
- Irwinnevariant
Show 1 moreShow fewer
Across languages 2
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Irwin
- Allen GinsbergAmerican poet and writer (1926–1997)
- Irwin RoseAmerican biologist (1926-2015)
- Irwin ShawAmerican writer (1913–1984)
- Irwin KeyesAmerican character actor (1952-2015)
- Irwin Allenfilm producer (1916-1991)
- Irwin WinklerAmerican motion picture producer, motion picture director, screenwriterborn 1931
- Irwin CoreyAmerican comedian and actor (1914–2017)
- Irwin M. JacobsAmerican electrical engineer and philanthropistborn 1933
- Irwin I. ShapiroAmerican astrophysicistborn 1929
Characters named Irwin: Ambush Bug (fictional character).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Irwin, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Elgin
“a noble man; one who is white-skinned”
>99% boys
Elvin
“a friend of the elves”
>99% boys
Olin
“filled with happiness”
>99% boys
Alvin
“friend of the elves”
>99% boys
Eldon
“from the sacred hill”
>99% boys
Elden
“an old friend”
>99% boys
Hilton
“a wealthy woman” · “from the town on the hill”
85% boys · 15% girls
Burton
“from the fortified town”
>99% boys