Gavvin
A masculine name of Celtic origin, possibly derived from the Welsh word "gavyn" meaning "hawk" or "little hawk".
Name Census estimates that about 6 living Americans carry the first name Gavvin. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Gavvin today is around 21 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Gavvin births was 2005 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Gavvin. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Gavvin. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
6
~ 1 in 57,125,723 Americans
Peak year
2005
6 babies that year
Average age
21
years old
2005 SSA rank
#10,538
Tracked since 2005
Popularity
Gavvin: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Gavvin 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 Gavvin during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 6 | 0 | 6 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Gavvin
The name Gavvin is of ancient Celtic origin, tracing its roots back to the Gaelic languages spoken in Ireland and Scotland during the medieval period. Derived from the Old Irish word "gabh," meaning "to take" or "to receive," Gavvin was initially a surname given to individuals who worked as receivers or collectors of taxes or tolls.
In the 7th century, the name Gavvin appeared in the Annals of Ulster, an ancient chronicle recording events in medieval Ireland. This early reference suggests that the name had gained popularity among the Celtic communities of the time. As the centuries passed, Gavvin gradually transitioned from a surname to a given name, particularly in Scotland and the Scottish Isles.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Gavvin was Gavvin MacKinnon, a Scottish chieftain who lived in the late 13th century. He was known for his leadership during the Wars of Scottish Independence against the English. Another notable figure was Gavvin Douglas, a renowned Scottish poet and cleric born around 1475, who is celebrated for his translation of Virgil's Aeneid into Middle Scots.
In the 16th century, Gavvin Hamilton, a Scottish merchant and explorer, made significant contributions to the exploration of the New World. He accompanied John Cabot on his voyages to North America in the late 15th century and is believed to have been one of the first Europeans to set foot on the shores of what is now Canada.
The name Gavvin also found its way into religious texts and records. In the 17th century, Gavvin Gunn was a Scottish Presbyterian minister and theologian who played a prominent role in the Scottish Reformation. His writings and sermons were influential in shaping the religious landscape of Scotland during that turbulent period.
In the 19th century, Gavvin Greig, a Scottish-born Australian politician and businessman, made his mark in the early years of colonial Australia. He served as a member of the Legislative Council of New South Wales and contributed significantly to the development of the country's agricultural industry.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who bore the name Gavvin throughout history. While the name has ancient roots and a rich cultural heritage, its usage has become less common in modern times, particularly outside of Scotland and the Scottish diaspora communities.
People
Gavvin + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Gavvin 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
Gavvin: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Gavvin?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 6 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Gavvin 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 57,125,723 US residents.
Is Gavvin a common name?
We classify Gavvin as "Very Rare". It ranks above 22.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 6 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Gavvin most popular?
The single biggest year for Gavvin was 2005, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Gavvin is about 21 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Gavvin in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Gavvin a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Gavvin 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.
Is Gavvin still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Gavvin in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Gavvin can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have Gavvin as a first name?
If you just want to know how many Americans are named Gavvin, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.