Garvin
Of uncertain meaning, possibly related to Old Norse words meaning "guard".
Name Census estimates that about 1,312 living Americans carry the first name Garvin. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Garvin today is around 52 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Garvin births was 1921 (52 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Garvin. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
1.3K
~ 1 in 261,246 Americans
Peak year
1921
52 babies that year
Average age
52
years old
2024 SSA rank
#11,338
Tracked since 1894
Popularity
Garvin: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Garvin from the 1890s through to the 2020s, spanning 14 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 364 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Garvin by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Garvin during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Garvins live
The SSA's state-level files cover 11 states and territories. Oklahoma, Texas, New York recorded the most babies named Garvin, while Kentucky, Florida, Missouri recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 22 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Garvin
The name Garvin originated from the Irish Gaelic language, specifically the word "garbh" which means "rough" or "rugged." It was initially used as a surname in Ireland, particularly in counties such as Cork, Kerry, and Limerick, dating back to the 12th century.
In its earliest form, the name was spelled as "Garvyn" or "Garvine." It was later anglicized to "Garvin" as the Irish migration to other parts of the world increased. The name was primarily associated with families of Gaelic descent, particularly those with roots in the southern regions of Ireland.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Garvin can be found in the Annals of Inisfallen, a chronicle of Irish history compiled in the 12th century. It mentions a person named Garvin Mac Carthaigh, who was a member of the influential McCarthy clan in County Cork.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Garvin. One of the most prominent was John Garvin (1856-1935), an Irish-American lawyer and politician who served as the 36th Mayor of Boston, Massachusetts, from 1914 to 1918.
Another noteworthy figure was Wilbur Garvin (1870-1952), an English journalist and editor who served as the editor-in-chief of The Observer newspaper from 1908 to 1942. He was widely respected for his influential editorials and commentary on political and social issues.
In the realm of literature, John William Garvin (1869-1935) was a renowned Irish novelist and short story writer. His works, such as "The Prospect of Literature" and "Manxman," explored themes of Irish identity and culture.
The name Garvin also has a presence in the world of sports. Garvin Bushell (1931-2019) was a prominent English cricketer who played for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club and the England national team in the 1950s and 1960s.
Another notable figure was Garvin Roberson (born 1972), an American basketball player who played in the NBA for teams like the Houston Rockets and the Toronto Raptors in the 1990s.
While the name Garvin has its roots in Ireland, it has been adopted and used in various parts of the world, particularly in English-speaking countries. Although not as common as some other Irish names, it continues to hold a rich historical significance and connection to its Gaelic origins.
People
Garvin + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Garvin as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with G
Other first names starting with G with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Garvin: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Garvin?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,312 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Garvin going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 261,246 US residents.
Is Garvin a common name?
We classify Garvin as "Rare". It ranks above 91.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 2,425 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Garvin most popular?
The single biggest year for Garvin was 1921, when 52 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Garvin is about 52 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Garvin a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Garvin in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.