Melvin

Did you know?

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

⭐ Famous Melvin

Melvin Calvin

American biochemist (1911–1997)

Choose Melvin and your child shares a first name with Melvin Calvin, an American biochemist. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Melvin, like who?” Melvin Calvin's Wikipedia article is available in 69 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.

Read about Melvin Calvin on Wikipedia ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Photo: "Photolab", Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons

• 👶How commonAbout 1 in every 7,027 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Melvin, 243 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Melvin would very likely be the only one.
• 📜HistoryMelvin has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Melvins, and counting.
• 🏆Best yearIt was far more popular in 1926, when it ranked #47. Today it's #958, so it could be due a comeback.
• 🍂TrendMelvin has slipped 206 places over the last five years and now sits at #958. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
• 📍Where it's lovedMelvin is most popular in Pennsylvania, where it ranks #363, followed by Kentucky (#485) and Maryland (#516). It's in the top 1,000 in 15 states.

About the name Melvin

Melvin is a boy name of Celtic, English and Irish origin. It has 6 letters and 2 syllables, starting with M and ending in “-vin”. US birth records list Melvin for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1926, when it ranked #47 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #958, with 243 babies.

Origin:Celtic namesEnglish namesIrish namesScottish names