Kelvin
Boy nameKelvin has been given to 51,855 babies in the U.S. since 1912. It peaked in 1961. In 2025, about 1 in 7,982 boys was named Kelvin.
Meaning & origin /ˈkɛlvɪn/
Of Celtic/Scottish Gaelic origin, possibly from caol (“narrow”) or coille (“wooded”) + abhainn (“river”). The surname is derived from the river. The surname was also possibly influenced by Calvert (Middle English calfhirde).
Origin: surnames
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Popularity over time births per year, 1880–2025
Total babies
51,855
Peak year
1961 (1,380 babies)
Rank in 2025
Below top 1000
First recorded
1912
10-year trend
▼ -46%
Gender split
1% girls / 99% boys
Rank through the decades
Kelvin's rank among U.S. boy names at 25-year milestones.
| Year | Boys rank |
|---|---|
| 1950 | #576 |
| 1975 | #266 |
| 2000 | #389 |
— means outside the top 1000 that year.
Spellings & variants
Names one letter away from Kelvin — alternate spellings parents actually use.
Famous people named Kelvin
Kelvin Kiptum
Kenyan long-distance runner (1999–2024)
Kelvin Felix
Dominican Catholic cardinal (1933–2024)
Notability data from Wikidata (CC0).
Names with a similar vibe
Same primary gender, peaked around the same years, and roughly as common as Kelvin.
FAQ
How popular is the name Kelvin?
Kelvin has been given to 51,855 babies in the U.S. since 1912. It ranked below the top 1000 in 2025.
When did the name Kelvin peak?
Kelvin peaked in 1961, when 1,380 babies were given the name.
Is Kelvin a girl or boy name?
Kelvin is primarily a boy name (99% of babies named Kelvin are boys).
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