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Name Lineage

    The first name Harvey

    A boy’s name meaning “iron”, “blazing”.

    Pronounced /ˈhɑ(ɹ)vi/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname

    Meaning and origin

    Harvey means “iron”, “blazing”.

    From Haerviu, name of a Breton saint, from Old Breton hoiarn (“iron”) + viu (“blazing”). Cognate with modern Breton Haerviu. In Ireland, used as an anglicisation of Irish Ó hAirmheadhaigh and Ó hEarchaidh. The civil parish in New Brunswick is probably named in honour of British colonial administrator John Harvey (1778 - 1852).

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    In 2025, 372 boys were named Harvey, making it the 138th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2005, with 2,431 births (#27).

    01,5003,000 1996200020052010201520202025
    36,020
    babies named Harvey, 1996–2025
    #138
    rank in 2025
    2005
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Harvey with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Harvey at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 1,381 boys born in the United States were named Harvey, the 251st most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1921, when 2,287 were.

    01,5003,000 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    128,792
    babies named Harvey since 1880
    #251
    rank in 2025
    1921
    peak year

    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.

    Harvey in other languages

    Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary

    Hervé
    French
    Ха́рви
    Xárvi
    Russian
    哈維 /哈维
    Hāwéi
    Chinese
    Herve
    Esperanto
    Ερβέος
    Ervéos
    Greek, also Ερβέβιος

    Nicknames and spellings

    Nicknames for Harvey

    • Harv

    Other spellings and forms

    • Hervey

    Famous people named Harvey

    59 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Lee Harvey Oswald
      American former marine who assassinated John F. Kennedy (1939–1963)
    • Harvey Keitel
      American actor (born 1939)
    • Harvey Milk
      American politician and gay rights activist (1930–1978)
    • Harvey Weinstein
      American film producer and sex offender (born 1952)
    • Harvey J. Alter
      American medical researcher, born 1935
    • Harvey Elliott
      English association football player (born 2003)
    • Harvey Fierstein
      American actor and playwright, born 1952
    • Harvey Williams Cushing
      American neurosurgeon (1869-1939)
    • Harvey Korman
      American actor and comedian (1927–2008)
    • Harvey Barnes
      English association football player (born 1997)
    • Harvey Pekar
      American underground comic book writer, music critic, and media personality (1939-2010)
    • Harvey Kurtzman
      American cartoonist (1924–1993)

    Questions

    What does the name Harvey mean?
    Harvey means “iron”, “blazing”.
    How popular is the name Harvey?
    In 2025, 372 boys born in England and Wales were named Harvey, ranking 138th. Its peak was 2005, with 2,431 births.
    What are nicknames for Harvey?
    Common nicknames for Harvey include Harv.
    Is Harvey a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a boy's name: 99% of the 128,792 US babies named Harvey since 1880 were boys.
    When was Harvey most popular?
    1921 in the United States, when 2,287 babies were named Harvey, its highest rank at 87th.
    How do you pronounce Harvey?
    Harvey is /ˈhɑ(ɹ)vi/, 2 syllables.
    What are other spellings of Harvey?
    Hervey.
    Is Harvey also a surname?
    Yes. Harvey is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.