Given name & surname
Melvin
“a friend who offers counsel”
Melvin is used as a given name and a surname. One English interpretation is “a friend who offers counsel.” Its derivation is not certain.
Meaning & origin
What it means
One English interpretation is “a friend who offers counsel.” Its derivation is not certain.
Where it comes from
A possible origin is English, although the derivation remains uncertain.
How it developed
In English usage, Melvin developed from Mala.
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
Melvin through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 247,075
- 244,936 boys · 2,139 girls
- Most popular year
- 1928
- 4,311 babies
- 2025
- 243
- #959 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −13%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 243 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 959 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 12.8% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 4,249 in 1928. In 2025, Pennsylvania had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (30). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 111,421 as a first name in 2020; 18,641 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.
Melvin’s family of names
In English usage, Melvin has a diminutive in Mel. In English usage, Melvin developed from the Latin form Mala. In English usage, Melvin has a related form in Melvyn.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Melvin has relatives in 4 languages. Lines run from its English roots to each of them.
Nicknames & forms 26
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 5
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 Melvin
- Melvin CalvinAmerican biochemist (1911–1997)
- Melvin SchwartzAmerican experimental physicist (1932-2006)
- Melvin Laird20th-century American politician (1922–2016)
- Mel TorméAmerican recording artist (1925–1999)
- Mel PattonAmerican athletics competitor (1924-2014)
- Melvin TwellaarDutch rowerborn 1996
- Melvin FrankAmerican screenwriter and director (1913-1988)
- Melvin BardFrench association football playerborn 2000
- Mel RodriguezAmerican actorborn 1973
Characters named Melvin: Gladiator (Marvel Comics, introduced in 1966).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Melvin, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Elvin
“a friend of the elves”
>99% boys
Alvin
“friend of the elves”
>99% boys
Elgin
“a noble man; one who is white-skinned”
>99% boys
Erwin
“a friend of the wild boar”
>99% boys
Eldon
“from the sacred hill”
>99% boys
Milton
“from the mill town”
>99% boys
Norman
“a man from the north”
>99% boys
Olin
“filled with happiness”
>99% boys