Harvey

Did you know?

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

⭐ Famous Harvey

Harvey J. Alter

American medical researcher

Choose Harvey and your child shares a first name with Harvey J. Alter, an American medical researcher. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Harvey, like who?” Harvey J. Alter's Wikipedia article is available in 57 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.

Read about Harvey J. Alter on Wikipedia ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons

• 👶How commonAbout 1 in every 1,237 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Harvey, 1,381 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Harvey would very likely be the only one.
• 📜HistoryHarvey has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Harveys, and counting.
• 🏆Best yearIt was far more popular in 1880, when it ranked #50. Today it's #251, so it could be due a comeback.
• 📈Then vs nowHarvey is 9.8× more common today than it was in 2000. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 12,121 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 1,237.
• 🚀TrendHarvey has climbed 165 places in the US rankings over the last five years and now sits at #251. Fast risers like this often keep climbing, so expect to hear it more.
• 📍Where it's lovedHarvey is most popular in Vermont, where it ranks #57, followed by Minnesota (#63) and North Dakota (#77). It makes the top 1,000 in almost every state.
• 💬MeaningIn Breton, Harvey means “battle worthy”.

About the name Harvey

Harvey is a boy name of English origin meaning “battle worthy”. It has 6 letters and 2 syllables, starting with H and ending in “-vey”. US birth records list Harvey for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1880, when it ranked #50 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #251, with 1,381 babies.

Origin:English names