The first name Calvin
A boy’s name meaning “bald”.
Pronounced /ˈkælvɪn/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Calvin means “bald”.
Latinization of Norman-Picard Cauvin, a nickname for a chauve (“bald”) person.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 43 boys were named Calvin, making it the 771st most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 1998, with 159 births (#204).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Calvin with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Calvin at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 2,710 boys born in the United States were named Calvin, the 132nd most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1924, when 4,918 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Calvin in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Calvin in French and German too.
Famous people named Calvin
50 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Calvin KleinAmerican fashion designer (born 1942)
- Edward Calvin KendallAmerican chemist (1886-1972)
- Calvin Jong-a-PinDutch association football player, born 1986
- Calvin SmithAmerican sprinter, born 1961
- Calvin StengsDutch association football player, born 1998
- Calvin LockhartBahamian actor, 1934–2007
- Calvin VerdonkDutch-Indonesian association soccer player, born 1997
- Calvin MurphyAmerican basketball player, born 1948
- Calvin BrickerAthletics competitor (1884–1963)
- Calvin JohnsonAmerican football player (born 1985)
- Calvin DavisAmerican athletics competitor (1972–2023)
- Calvin FowlerBasketball player (1940-2013)
Questions
- What does the name Calvin mean?
- Calvin means “bald”.
- How popular is the name Calvin?
- In 2025, 43 boys born in England and Wales were named Calvin, ranking 771st. Its peak was 1998, with 159 births.
- Is Calvin a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 99% of the 222,287 US babies named Calvin since 1880 were boys.
- When was Calvin most popular?
- 1924 in the United States, when 4,918 babies were named Calvin, its highest rank at 44th.
- How do you pronounce Calvin?
- Calvin is /ˈkælvɪn/, 2 syllables.
- Is Calvin also a surname?
- Yes. Calvin is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.