Nevan
An Americanized spelling of the Irish masculine name Niamh meaning "bright".
Name Census estimates that about 1,160 living Americans carry the first name Nevan. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Nevan today is around 18 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Nevan births was 2004 (75 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Nevan. 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.
People living today
1.2K
~ 1 in 295,478 Americans
Peak year
2004
75 babies that year
Average age
18
years old
2024 SSA rank
#5,577
Tracked since 1986
Gender
Gender distribution for Nevan
Out of the 1,174 babies given the name Nevan since 1880, 99.6% were registered as male. The name sits firmly on the male side of the spectrum, with only a handful of female registrations across the entire dataset.
Nevan as a male name
- Ranked #5,577 in 2024
- 17 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2004 (75 births)
Nevan as a female name
- Ranked #19,641 in 2008
- 5 female births in 2008
- Peak: 2008 (5 births)
Popularity
Nevan: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Nevan from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 591 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
Nevan 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 Nevan during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Nevans live
The SSA's state-level files cover 10 states and territories. California, Texas, Pennsylvania recorded the most babies named Nevan, while Washington, Michigan, North Carolina recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 27 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Nevan
The name Nevan has its origins in Celtic and Gaelic cultures, specifically in the Irish language. It is believed to have derived from the ancient Irish word "nev" or "nēv," which translates to "saint" or "holy one." This name's roots can be traced back to the early medieval period, around the 5th to 7th centuries AD, when Ireland was predominantly a Celtic society.
Nevan was a relatively common name among the Irish during this time, particularly among those from religious backgrounds or those associated with the Christian monastic orders that flourished in Ireland during the Middle Ages. The name has been found in various ancient Irish texts and manuscripts, including the Annals of Ulster and the Annals of the Four Masters, which were historical chronicles documenting significant events and notable figures in early Irish history.
One of the earliest recorded figures bearing the name Nevan was Saint Nevan, an Irish monk and scholar who lived in the 6th century AD. He was renowned for his piety and his contributions to the propagation of Christianity in Ireland during that era. Another notable figure was Nevan of Clonmacnoise, a renowned Irish abbot and scribe who lived in the 7th century AD and was instrumental in the preservation and transcription of ancient Irish manuscripts and literature.
Throughout the centuries, the name Nevan has been borne by several other notable individuals. In the 9th century, Nevan O'Donnell was a prominent Irish chieftain and leader of the O'Donnell clan, one of the most powerful and influential families in Ulster during the medieval period. In the 12th century, Nevan O'Connor was a renowned Irish poet and bard who composed numerous works that have been preserved in various Irish literary collections.
In more recent history, Nevan Lahart was an Irish writer and journalist who lived from 1888 to 1966 and was known for his contributions to Irish literature and his advocacy for Irish cultural revival. Nevan Maguire is a contemporary Irish chef and restaurateur, born in 1976, who has gained international recognition for his culinary skills and has authored several cookbooks.
While the name Nevan has its roots in Irish and Celtic culture, it has also been adopted and used in other parts of the world, particularly in English-speaking countries with strong Irish or Celtic diasporas. However, its origins and historical significance remain deeply rooted in the rich tapestry of Irish heritage and tradition.
People
Nevan + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Nevan as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with N
Other first names starting with N with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Nevan: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Nevan?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,160 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Nevan 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 295,478 US residents.
Is Nevan a common name?
We classify Nevan as "Rare". It ranks above 91% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,174 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Nevan most popular?
The single biggest year for Nevan was 2004, when 75 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Nevan is about 18 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Nevan a male name?
Yes, 99.6% of people registered as Nevan 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.
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.