Find out how popular the first name Mervyn has been for the last 43 years (from 1974 to 2016) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Mervyn by gender

Based on the last 43 years of data, Mervyn is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 2016, there were 5 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Mervyn.

The history of the first name Mervyn

The name Mervyn has its origins in the Brythonic Celtic language that was spoken in Britain during the ancient Roman era. It is derived from the elements "mer" meaning "sea" and "vin" meaning "fair" or "white", thus giving the name the meaning of "bright sea" or "sea-bright".

In the early medieval period, the name was found in its Welsh form "Merfyn" and was borne by several historical figures from Wales, such as Merfyn Frych, a 7th-century king of Gwynedd. The name also appeared in early Breton records in the form "Merwun".

As the name spread across Britain during the Anglo-Saxon era, it evolved into the Old English form "Mærwine" and later into the modern English spelling "Mervyn". One of the earliest recorded examples of this spelling was Mervyn, a Welsh bishop who lived in the late 6th century.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the name Mervyn. One of the most famous was Mervyn Peake, a British writer and artist born in 1911, best known for his Gothic fantasy series "Gormenghast". Another was Mervyn Westfield, a British actor and comedian born in 1936, who appeared in numerous television shows and films.

In the world of sports, there was Mervyn John Rees, a Welsh rugby union player born in 1915, who played for Wales in the 1930s and 1940s. Mervyn Llewellyn Hughes, born in 1898, was an English cricketer who played for Yorkshire and England in the 1920s and 1930s.

Mervyn Dymally, born in 1926, was an American politician who served as the Lieutenant Governor of California from 1975 to 1979 and was the first African American to hold that position.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Mervyn was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Mervyn, please contact us.

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