Marvis
A feminine name deriving from a French surname meaning "incredible marvel".
Name Census estimates that about 1,267 living Americans carry the first name Marvis. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 55.3% of registrations being female. The average person named Marvis today is around 58 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Marvis births was 1924 (58 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Marvis. 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
- • Marvis was once a predominantly female name but has become increasingly popular for boys in recent decades.
- • Marvis sits in rare territory as a truly gender-neutral name, given to boys and girls in near-equal numbers.
People living today
1.3K
~ 1 in 270,524 Americans
Peak year
1924
58 babies that year
Average age
58
years old
2018 SSA rank
#10,357
Tracked since 1914
Gender
Gender distribution for Marvis
Marvis is one of the more evenly split names in the SSA data. Of the 2,468 total registrations, 1,102 (44.7%) were male and 1,366 (55.3%) were female.
Marvis as a male name
- Ranked #10,357 in 2018
- 7 male births in 2018
- Peak: 1983 (37 births)
Marvis as a female name
- Ranked #10,766 in 1978
- 5 female births in 1978
- Peak: 1924 (43 births)
Popularity
Marvis: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Marvis from the 1910s through to the 2010s, spanning 11 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 418 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
Marvis 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 Marvis during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Marvis' live
The SSA's state-level files cover 10 states and territories. Texas, Minnesota, Alabama recorded the most babies named Marvis, while South Dakota, North Carolina, Mississippi recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 9 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Marvis
The name Marvis is a relatively uncommon and unique name, with its origins shrouded in mystery. It is believed to have originated from the Old English language, derived from the root word "mere," which means "famous" or "renowned," and the suffix "-vis," which was commonly used in Old English names to denote wisdom or knowledge.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Marvis dates back to the 9th century, when it was mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, an annual record of important events in Anglo-Saxon England. However, the context in which the name was used is unclear, leaving room for speculation about its significance.
Throughout the Middle Ages, the name Marvis appeared sporadically in various historical records and documents, though it remained relatively obscure. One notable bearer of the name was Marvis de Boulogne, a French nobleman who lived in the 12th century and was known for his military exploits during the Crusades.
As time passed, the name Marvis seemed to fall out of favor, and it was not until the 19th century that it resurfaced, albeit in a different cultural context. Marvis Hastings was an American journalist and author who lived from 1829 to 1903 and was known for her work promoting women's rights and social reform.
Another prominent figure with the name Marvis was Marvis Bevilacqua, an Italian-American artist and sculptor who lived from 1914 to 1997. Her works, which often explored themes of feminism and social commentary, are displayed in several museums and galleries across the United States.
In the realm of literature, Marvis Calhoun was an American writer and poet who lived from 1920 to 1989. Her works, which explored themes of identity, race, and social justice, were widely acclaimed and earned her numerous literary awards and honors.
More recently, Marvis Frazier, born in 1969, is an American former professional boxer and the son of legendary heavyweight champion Joe Frazier. Although he never achieved the same level of success as his father, Marvis Frazier had a respectable career in the ring and is still recognized as a notable figure in the world of boxing.
Despite its relative obscurity, the name Marvis has a rich and diverse history, spanning various cultures and time periods. From its humble beginnings in Old English to its modern-day bearers, the name has left an indelible mark on the annals of history, serving as a reminder of the enduring power of names and their ability to transcend time and cultural boundaries.
People
Marvis + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Marvis as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Marvis: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Marvis?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,267 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Marvis 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 270,524 US residents.
Is Marvis a common name?
We classify Marvis as "Rare". It ranks above 91.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 2,468 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Marvis most popular?
The single biggest year for Marvis was 1924, when 58 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Marvis is about 58 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Marvis a female name?
Yes, 55.3% of people registered as Marvis in the SSA data are female. 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.