Mavis

Did you know?

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

⭐ Famous Mavis

Mavis Staples

American singer

Choose Mavis and your child shares a first name with Mavis Staples, an American singer. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Mavis, like who?” Mavis Staples's Wikipedia article is available in 23 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.

Read about Mavis Staples on Wikipedia ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Photo: Montclair Film, CC BY 2.0 (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons

• 👶How commonAbout 1 in every 2,993 baby girls born in the US in 2025 was named Mavis, 537 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Mavis would very likely be the only one.
• 📜HistoryMavis first shows up in US birth records in 1893, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 132 years since.
• 🏆Best yearIts best year was 1927, when it reached #270.
• 📈Then vs nowMavis is 51× more common today than it was in 2000. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 151,515 baby girls; in 2025, about 1 in 2,993.
• 🚀TrendMavis has climbed 280 places in the US rankings over the last five years and now sits at #560. Fast risers like this often keep climbing, so expect to hear it more.
• 📍Where it's lovedMavis is most popular in North Dakota, where it ranks #162, followed by Montana (#208) and New Mexico (#217). It's in the top 1,000 in 35 states.
• 💬MeaningIn English, Mavis means “song thrush”. Our records link it to Celtic, English and French roots.

About the name Mavis

Mavis is a girl name of Celtic, English and French origin meaning “song thrush”. It has 5 letters and 2 syllables, starting with M and ending in “-vis”. US birth records list Mavis for girls from 1893 to 2025, in 132 of those 133 years. Its best year was 1927, when it ranked #270 among girl names. In 2025 it ranked #560, with 537 babies.

Origin:Celtic namesEnglish namesFrench namesScottish names