Kavaughn
An English masculine name of uncertain origin, possibly related to the Welsh name Cavan.
Name Census estimates that about 97 living Americans carry the first name Kavaughn. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Kavaughn today is around 20 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kavaughn births was 1998 (9 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kavaughn. 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 Kavaughn. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
97
~ 1 in 3,533,550 Americans
Peak year
1998
9 babies that year
Average age
20
years old
2024 SSA rank
#13,228
Tracked since 1994
Popularity
Kavaughn: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Kavaughn from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 60 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kavaughn 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 Kavaughn during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Kavaughn
The name Kavaughn is of relatively modern origin, with its roots likely stemming from a combination of various cultural influences. It appears to be a variation or amalgamation of traditional Irish and Scottish names, with potential influences from African and Caribbean naming traditions as well.
One possible origin of the name Kavaughn could be traced back to the Irish name Cavan, which is derived from the Gaelic word "cabhan," meaning "hollow" or "cavity." This name was initially given to people residing in the region of Cavan, located in present-day Northern Ireland. Over time, the name may have evolved and been adapted to different spellings and variations, including Kavaughn.
Alternatively, the name Kavaughn may have roots in the Scottish surname Vaughan, which is believed to have originated from the Welsh name "Vaughan," meaning "small" or "little." This name was often given to individuals of shorter stature or as a term of endearment. The addition of the "K" at the beginning of the name could be a creative twist or a nod to African or Caribbean naming conventions.
While the exact historical references for the name Kavaughn are scarce, there are a few notable individuals who have borne this name throughout the years. One such person is Kavaughn Brown, a Jamaican sprinter born in 1992, who competed in the 2016 Rio Olympics. Another individual with this name is Kavaughn Frater, a Jamaican track and field athlete born in 1995, specializing in the 100-meter and 200-meter dash events.
In the realm of music, Kavaughn is the name of a contemporary R&B singer and songwriter from the United States. Born in 1990, he has released several albums and singles, contributing to the genre's evolution in recent years.
Additionally, there is Kavaughn Whyte, a Jamaican footballer born in 1997, who plays as a defender for various clubs in his home country.
Lastly, Kavaughn Henry is a Jamaican cricketer born in 1998, known for his performances in domestic cricket competitions within the Caribbean region.
While the name Kavaughn may not have a long and storied history, its unique blend of cultural influences and modern adaptations have contributed to its growing popularity, particularly in areas with strong African, Caribbean, and Irish or Scottish diasporas.
People
Kavaughn + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kavaughn as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with K
Other first names starting with K with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Kavaughn: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kavaughn?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 97 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kavaughn 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 3,533,550 US residents.
Is Kavaughn a common name?
We classify Kavaughn as "Very Rare". It ranks above 64.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 98 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kavaughn most popular?
The single biggest year for Kavaughn was 1998, when 9 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kavaughn is about 20 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 Kavaughn in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Kavaughn a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kavaughn 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 Kavaughn still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Kavaughn 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 Kavaughn 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 Kavaughn as a first name?
You can see how many people share the name Kavaughn on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.