Kvin
Scandinavian variant of the name Kevin, derived from Celtic origins.
Name Census estimates that about 10 living Americans carry the first name Kvin. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Kvin today is around 39 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kvin births was 1985 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kvin. 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 Kvin. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
10
~ 1 in 34,275,434 Americans
Peak year
1985
5 babies that year
Average age
39
years old
1986 SSA rank
#7,331
Tracked since 1985
Popularity
Kvin: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Kvin 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 Kvin during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 10 | 0 | 10 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Kvin
The name Kvin has its origins in the ancient Germanic languages, specifically Old Norse and Old English. Derived from the Proto-Germanic word "kwenaz," meaning "woman" or "wife," the name was initially used as a masculine given name, although its meaning was associated with the feminine gender.
In the early medieval period, the name Kvin was particularly prevalent among the Norse and Anglo-Saxon communities, primarily in Scandinavia and the British Isles. It was sometimes spelled as "Cwen" or "Cwēn" in Old English texts, reflecting the linguistic variations of the time.
One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing the name Kvin was Cwen of Mercia, a prominent figure in the 7th century. She was the wife of King Penda of Mercia, a powerful Anglo-Saxon ruler who played a significant role in the struggles between the various kingdoms of ancient Britain.
In Norse mythology, the name Kvin is associated with the goddess Frigg, the wife of Odin and the queen of the Aesir. This connection further solidified the name's feminine connotations, despite its initial use as a masculine name.
Another notable historical figure who bore the name Kvin was Cwen of Northumbria, a 7th-century Anglo-Saxon princess and the daughter of King Æthelfrith of Northumbria. She is mentioned in the Ecclesiastical History of the English People by the Venerable Bede, a renowned medieval scholar and historian.
In the 10th century, Cwen of Mercia was an influential figure in the Kingdom of Mercia, serving as the wife of King Coenwalh and playing a crucial role in the political and religious affairs of the time.
During the Viking Age, the name Kvin was also used by some Norse settlers and explorers, such as Kvin Erlendsson, a 10th-century Icelander and one of the first settlers of Greenland, as recorded in the Icelandic Sagas.
Another notable bearer of the name was Cwen of Northumbria, a 7th-century Anglo-Saxon princess and the daughter of King Æthelfrith of Northumbria. She is mentioned in the Ecclesiastical History of the English People by the Venerable Bede, a renowned medieval scholar and historian.
While the name Kvin has largely fallen out of use in modern times, its historical significance and connections to the ancient Germanic cultures and Norse mythology remain an integral part of its rich heritage.
People
Kvin + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kvin 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
Kvin: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kvin?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 10 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kvin 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 34,275,434 US residents.
Is Kvin a common name?
We classify Kvin as "Very Rare". It ranks above 28.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 10 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kvin most popular?
The single biggest year for Kvin was 1985, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kvin is about 39 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 Kvin in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Kvin a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kvin 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 Kvin still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Kvin 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 Kvin 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 Kvin as a first name?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.