Marvin

Did you know?

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

⭐ Famous Marvin

Marvin Gaye

American R&B and soul singer (1939–1984)

Choose Marvin and your child shares a first name with Marvin Gaye, an American R&B and soul singer. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Marvin, like who?” Marvin Gaye's Wikipedia article is available in 80 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.

Read about Marvin Gaye on Wikipedia ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Photo: Photograph by Jim Britt, whose other (copyrighted) photos of Gaye from the same session—many of them in full color—can b, Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons

• 👶How commonAbout 1 in every 4,437 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Marvin, 385 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Marvin would very likely be the only one.
• 📜HistoryMarvin has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Marvins, and counting.
• 🏆Best yearIt was far more popular in 1934, when it ranked #44. Today it's #699, so it could be due a comeback.
• 🍂TrendMarvin has slipped 93 places over the last five years and now sits at #699. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
• 📍Where it's lovedMarvin is most popular in Wisconsin, where it ranks #285, followed by Maryland (#364) and Pennsylvania (#442). It's in the top 1,000 in 21 states.

About the name Marvin

Marvin is a boy name of English origin. It has 6 letters and 2 syllables, starting with M and ending in “-vin”. US birth records list Marvin for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1934, when it ranked #44 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #699, with 385 babies.

Origin:English names