Kelvin
Of Celtic/Scottish Gaelic origin, possibly from caol (“narrow”) or coille (“wooded”) + abhainn (“river”).
Every Kelvin since 1912 — 51,855 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Kelvin
Kelvin is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #1,036 in 2025 with 214 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1912, 51,855 American babies have been named Kelvin. Its peak came in 1961, when 1,380 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1960s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Kelvin stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Kelvin year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 214 | #1,036 |
| 2024 | — | — | 201 | #1,083 |
| 2023 | — | — | 232 | #967 |
| 2022 | — | — | 254 | #911 |
| 2021 | — | — | 254 | #905 |
| 2020 | — | — | 242 | #922 |
| 2019 | — | — | 317 | #754 |
| 2018 | — | — | 281 | #807 |
| 2017 | — | — | 328 | #729 |
| 2016 | — | — | 336 | #729 |
| 2015 | — | — | 399 | #652 |
| 2014 | — | — | 366 | #688 |
| 2013 | — | — | 412 | #611 |
| 2012 | — | — | 474 | #550 |
| 2011 | — | — | 465 | #547 |
| 2010 | — | — | 497 | #520 |
| 2009 | — | — | 572 | #479 |
| 2008 | — | — | 606 | #460 |
| 2007 | — | — | 623 | #448 |
| 2006 | — | — | 632 | #434 |
| 2005 | — | — | 617 | #433 |
| 2004 | 5 | #17,462 | 631 | #412 |
| 2003 | — | — | 644 | #403 |
| 2002 | — | — | 659 | #396 |
| 2001 | — | — | 618 | #404 |
| 2000 | — | — | 657 | #389 |
| 1995 | 7 | #11,114 | 713 | #345 |
| 1990 | 5 | #14,060 | 870 | #288 |
| 1985 | 9 | #7,242 | 741 | #279 |
| 1980 | 5 | #11,165 | 613 | #313 |
| 1975 | 11 | #5,308 | 727 | #266 |
| 1970 | 11 | #4,899 | 912 | #254 |
| 1965 | 11 | #4,068 | 1,197 | #207 |
| 1960 | 11 | #4,038 | 1,299 | #217 |
| 1955 | — | — | 530 | #321 |
| 1950 | — | — | 139 | #576 |
| 1945 | — | — | 20 | #1,514 |
| 1940 | — | — | 21 | #1,502 |
| 1935 | — | — | 34 | #1,134 |
| 1930 | — | — | 9 | #2,893 |
| 1925 | — | — | 10 | #2,850 |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | 5 | #4,115 |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Kelvin
- Kelvin Felix Religious figure · b. 1933
- Kelvin Mateus de Oliveira Soccer player · b. 1993
- Kelvin Leerdam Soccer player · b. 1990
- Kelvin Davis Soccer player · b. 1976
- Kelvin Amian Soccer player · b. 1998
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Kelvin mean?
Of Celtic/Scottish Gaelic origin, possibly from caol (“narrow”) or coille (“wooded”) + abhainn (“river”).
How popular is the name Kelvin in 2025?
Kelvin ranked #1,036 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 214 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Kelvin?
51,855 babies have been named Kelvin in the United States since 1912, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Kelvin most popular?
Kelvin peaked in 1961, when 1,380 newborns received the name.
Is Kelvin a boy or girl name?
Kelvin is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Kelvin rising or falling?
Kelvin is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Kelvin?
Well-known people named Kelvin include Kelvin Felix (religious figure), Kelvin Mateus de Oliveira (soccer player), Kelvin Leerdam (soccer player).