Alvin

Did you know?

A few things about Alvin you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.

⭐ Famous Alvin

Alvin Toffler

American writer, futurist and businessman

Choose Alvin and your child shares a first name with Alvin Toffler, an American writer, futurist and businessman. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Alvin, like who?” Alvin Toffler's Wikipedia article is available in 62 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.

Read about Alvin Toffler on Wikipedia ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Photo: Vern Evans, CC BY-SA 2.0 (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons

• 👶How commonAbout 1 in every 5,811 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Alvin, 294 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Alvin would very likely be the only one.
• 📜HistoryAlvin has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Alvins, and counting.
• 🏆Best yearIt was far more popular in 1927, when it ranked #66. Today it's #838, so it could be due a comeback.
• 🍂TrendAlvin has slipped 157 places over the last five years and now sits at #838. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
• 📍Where it's lovedAlvin is most popular in Pennsylvania, where it ranks #458, followed by Missouri (#518) and New York (#545). It's in the top 1,000 in 18 states.
• 💬MeaningIn Old English, Alvin means “elf friend”.

About the name Alvin

Alvin is a boy name meaning “elf friend”. It has 5 letters and 2 syllables, starting with A and ending in “-vin”. US birth records list Alvin for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1927, when it ranked #66 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #838, with 294 babies.