Given name & surname · also Scottish
Kelvin
“a friend of ships; a man of the river”
Kelvin is used as a given name and a surname. One English interpretation is “a friend of ships; a man of the river.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One English interpretation is “a friend of ships; a man of the river.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Scottish.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1912. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Kelvin through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 51,855
- 51,551 boys · 304 girls
- Most popular year
- 1961
- 1,380 babies
- 2025
- 214
- #1,036 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −23%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 214 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 1,036 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 23.2% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 1,370 in 1961. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (30). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 43,448 as a first name in 2020; 179 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.
Kelvin’s family of names
Kelvin has a related form in Kelvyn. Kelvin has a related form in Kelvon. Kelvin has a related form in Kelwin.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 17
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
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.
See also 3
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Kelvin
- Kelvin KiptumKenyan long-distance runner (1999–2024)
- Kelvin FelixDominican Catholic cardinal (1933–2024)
- KelvinBrazilian association football playerborn 1993
- Kelvin AmianFrench association football playerborn 1998
- Kelvin LeerdamSurinamese footballerborn 1990
- Kelvin DavisBritish footballer (born 1976)
- Kelvin EtuhuNigerian association football playerborn 1988
- Kelvin PiresCape Verdean footballerborn 2000
- K. C. RiversAmerican professional basketball playerborn 1987
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Kelvin, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Dale
“from the small valley” · “from the valley”
97% boys · 3% girls
Glen
“from the secluded narrow valley”
>99% boys
Lee
“from the meadow”
94% boys · 6% girls
Wade
“to cross the river ford”
>99% boys
Mervyn
“a friend of the sea”
>99% boys
Caindale
“from the valley with the clear river”
>99% boys
Dynell
“a man of the sea”
91% boys · 9% girls
Walding
“wood, forest”
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