Gavin
Say it: GAV-in/ˈɡævɪn/
Boy5 letters2 syllables
#348
in Ireland (2025)
#336 with spellings combined
11
babies in 2025
#32
best rank (1994)
7,148
babies since 1964
Down 146
10-year rank change
Gavin through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 11 | #336 |
| 2024 | 11 | #339 |
| 2023 | 11 | #333 |
| 2022 | 14 | #297 |
| 2021 | 19 | #242 |
| 2020 | 13 | #315 |
| 2019 | 16 | #278 |
| 2018 | 15 | #287 |
| 2017 | 26 | #214 |
| 2016 | 27 | #209 |
| 2015 | 30 | #190 |
| 2014 | 47 | #136 |
| 2013 | 49 | #127 |
| 2012 | 45 | #153 |
| 2011 | 49 | #143 |
| 2010 | 62 | #120 |
| 2009 | 91 | #89 |
| 2008 | 102 | #79 |
| 2007 | 123 | #64 |
| 2006 | 95 | #75 |
| 2005 | 115 | #66 |
| 2004 | 123 | #64 |
| 2003 | 113 | #62 |
| 2002 | 121 | #55 |
| 2001 | 124 | #54 |
| 2000 | 126 | #54 |
| 1999 | 110 | #58 |
| 1998 | 142 | #45 |
| 1997 | 201 | #43 |
| 1996 | 203 | #42 |
| 1995 | 224 | #36 |
| 1994 | 261 | #32 |
| 1993 | 184 | #46 |
| 1992 | 193 | #42 |
| 1991 | 189 | #42 |
| 1990 | 207 | #40 |
| 1989 | 183 | #43 |
| 1988 | 209 | #38 |
| 1987 | 216 | #43 |
| 1986 | 205 | #46 |
| 1985 | 166 | #50 |
| 1984 | 195 | #48 |
| 1983 | 140 | #62 |
| 1982 | 184 | #51 |
| 1981 | 205 | #49 |
| 1980 | 230 | #52 |
| 1979 | 202 | #52 |
| 1978 | 246 | #40 |
| 1977 | 299 | #33 |
| 1976 | 170 | #57 |
| 1975 | 122 | #69 |
| 1974 | 134 | #63 |
| 1973 | 175 | #54 |
| 1972 | 158 | #56 |
| 1971 | 83 | #86 |
| 1970 | 47 | #99 |
| 1969 | 34 | #107 |
| 1968 | 20 | #127 |
| 1967 | 23 | #117 |
| 1966 | 3 | #256 |
| 1965 | 4 | #222 |
| 1964 | 3 | #232 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Gavin mean?
Uncertain
A Scottish form of Gawain, the name of a knight of King Arthur.
Say it right
GAVin
The story of Gavin
Gavin is a medieval form of Gawain, the knight of King Arthur’s Round Table who faces the Green Knight in the famous poem. Gawain was first written down in French as Gauvain, and the form Gavin lived on in Scotland. The meaning is uncertain. It is often linked to Welsh words, and “white hawk” is one suggestion, but none is settled.
From Scotland the name spread to the rest of the English-speaking world in the 1960s.
Gavin was already given in Ireland when the CSO records begin, and it rose quickly. Its biggest year was 1977, with 299 babies, and its best rank was number 32 in 1994. It was a top 100 name all through the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, and has become much less common since.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Gavin (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Gavin
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, First Forenames Given to Babies Registered in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Gavin | 11 | 7,148 |
In Northern Ireland
Not in the 2025 list. Best rank #66 (1997); 274 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.