The first name Kelvin
A boy’s name from English meaning “narrow”, “wooded”, “river”.
Pronounced /ˈkɛlvɪn/ 2 syllables Male
Meaning and origin
English origin
Kelvin means “narrow”, “wooded”, “river” in English.
Of Celtic/Scottish Gaelic origin, possibly from caol (“narrow”) or coille (“wooded”) + abhainn (“river”). The surname is derived from the river. The surname was also possibly influenced by Calvert (Middle English calfhirde).
More names that mean river.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 17 boys were named Kelvin, making it the 1,538th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 1997, with 65 births (#360).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Kelvin with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Kelvin at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 214 boys born in the United States were named Kelvin, the 1,036th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1961, when 1,370 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.
Famous people named Kelvin
20 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Kelvin FelixDominican Catholic cardinal (1933–2024)
- Kelvin Mateus de OliveiraBrazilian association football player, born 1993
- Kelvin AmianFrench association football player, born 1998
- Kelvin DavisBritish footballer (born 1976)
- Kelvin Harrison Jr.American actor, born 1994
- Kelvin PiresCape Verdean footballer, born 2000
- Kelvin GastelumAmerican mixed martial artist (born 1991)
- Kelvin HoeflerBrazilian skateboarder, born 1994
- Kelvin GrahamCanoe racer, born 1964
- Kelvin WilsonEnglish footballer (born 1985)
- Kelvin CatoAmerican basketball player (born 1974)
- Kelvin BurtBritish racing driver, born 1967
More English boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Kelvin mean?
- Kelvin means “narrow”, “wooded”, “river” in English.
- What is the origin of the name Kelvin?
- Of Celtic/Scottish Gaelic origin, possibly from caol (“narrow”) or coille (“wooded”) + abhainn (“river”). The surname is derived from the river. The surname was also possibly influenced by Calvert (Middle English calfhirde).
- How popular is the name Kelvin?
- In 2025, 17 boys born in England and Wales were named Kelvin, ranking 1,538th. Its peak was 1997, with 65 births.
- Is Kelvin a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 99% of the 51,855 US babies named Kelvin since 1880 were boys.
- When was Kelvin most popular?
- 1961 in the United States, when 1,370 babies were named Kelvin, its highest rank at 209th.
- How do you pronounce Kelvin?
- Kelvin is /ˈkɛlvɪn/, 2 syllables.