Melvin
Variant of the Scottish surname Melville, from a place name Malleville in Normandy, from Latin mala (“bad”) + Old French ville (“settlement”).
Every Melvin since 1880 — 247,075 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Melvin
Melvin is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #959 in 2025 with 243 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 247,075 American babies have been named Melvin. Its peak came in 1928, when 4,311 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
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 Melvin stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Melvin 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 | — | — | 243 | #959 |
| 2024 | — | — | 277 | #872 |
| 2023 | — | — | 299 | #822 |
| 2022 | — | — | 300 | #829 |
| 2021 | — | — | 307 | #799 |
| 2020 | — | — | 323 | #752 |
| 2019 | — | — | 314 | #758 |
| 2018 | — | — | 334 | #719 |
| 2017 | — | — | 328 | #731 |
| 2016 | — | — | 337 | #727 |
| 2015 | — | — | 365 | #690 |
| 2014 | — | — | 386 | #665 |
| 2013 | — | — | 402 | #618 |
| 2012 | — | — | 393 | #618 |
| 2011 | — | — | 390 | #614 |
| 2010 | — | — | 456 | #556 |
| 2009 | — | — | 535 | #506 |
| 2008 | — | — | 592 | #467 |
| 2007 | — | — | 633 | #443 |
| 2006 | — | — | 673 | #423 |
| 2005 | — | — | 627 | #424 |
| 2004 | — | — | 613 | #428 |
| 2003 | — | — | 656 | #397 |
| 2002 | — | — | 908 | #315 |
| 2001 | — | — | 534 | #453 |
| 2000 | — | — | 525 | #455 |
| 1995 | — | — | 657 | #365 |
| 1990 | 8 | #9,839 | 941 | #277 |
| 1985 | 11 | #6,309 | 907 | #249 |
| 1980 | 18 | #4,248 | 1,103 | #218 |
| 1975 | 14 | #4,499 | 1,208 | #187 |
| 1970 | 28 | #2,625 | 1,678 | #171 |
| 1965 | 23 | #2,585 | 2,230 | #138 |
| 1960 | 29 | #2,174 | 3,011 | #125 |
| 1955 | 33 | #1,867 | 3,646 | #95 |
| 1950 | 37 | #1,542 | 3,886 | #87 |
| 1945 | 25 | #1,689 | 3,408 | #78 |
| 1940 | 36 | #1,235 | 3,935 | #53 |
| 1935 | 22 | #1,641 | 3,600 | #57 |
| 1930 | 46 | #1,098 | 4,048 | #50 |
| 1925 | 33 | #1,433 | 4,146 | #50 |
| 1920 | 36 | #1,303 | 3,717 | #54 |
| 1915 | 18 | #1,853 | 2,780 | #60 |
| 1910 | 13 | #1,313 | 482 | #75 |
| 1905 | 5 | #2,136 | 291 | #83 |
| 1900 | — | — | 231 | #102 |
| 1895 | 5 | #1,746 | 158 | #111 |
| 1890 | — | — | 98 | #146 |
| 1885 | — | — | 110 | #125 |
| 1880 | — | — | 103 | #129 |
Famous people named Melvin
- Melvin Calvin Chemist · 1911–1997
- Melvin Schwartz Physicist · 1932–2006
- Melvin Laird Politician · 1922–2016
- Melvin Brown Soccer player · b. 1979
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Melvin mean?
Variant of the Scottish surname Melville, from a place name Malleville in Normandy, from Latin mala (“bad”) + Old French ville (“settlement”).
How popular is the name Melvin in 2025?
Melvin ranked #959 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 243 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Melvin?
247,075 babies have been named Melvin in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Melvin most popular?
Melvin peaked in 1928, when 4,311 newborns received the name.
Is Melvin a boy or girl name?
Melvin is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Melvin rising or falling?
Melvin is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Melvin?
Well-known people named Melvin include Melvin Calvin (chemist), Melvin Schwartz (physicist), Melvin Laird (politician).