Kevin is the anglicized form of the Irish masculine given name (; ; ; Latinized as ). It is composed of "dear; noble"; Old Irish and ("birth"; Old Irish ).
The variant Kevan is anglicised from , an Irish diminutive form.A Dictionary of First Names. Oxford University Press (2007) s.v. "Kevin". The feminine version of the name is (anglicised as Keeva or Kweeva).
History Saint Kevin (died 618) founded Glendalough abbey in the Kingdom of Leinster in 6th-century Ireland. Canonized in 1903, he is one of the patron saints of the Archdiocese of Dublin. Caomhán of Inisheer, the patron saint of Inisheer, Aran Islands, is properly anglicized Cavan or Kevan, but often also referred to as "Kevin".
The name was rarely given before the 20th century. In Ireland an early bearer of the anglicised name was Kevin Izod O'Doherty (1823–1905) a Young Irelander and politician; it gained popularity from the Gaelic revival of the late nineteenth century, with Kevin Barry and Kevin O'Higgins prominent in the Irish revolutionary period. Later it was "widely adopted throughout the English-speaking world", surging in popularity during the 1950s. In the United States the name's popularity peaked at rank 11 in 1963. It has steadily decreased in popularity since then, but was still given with moderate frequency in the 2010s, at rank 89 as of 2016. Kevin fell out of the US Top 100 the following year and now ranks at Number 156. The name followed a similar trajectory in the United Kingdom, gaining popularity in the 1950s, peaking in the 1960s, gradually declining in the 1970s to 1980s, and falling out of the top 100 most popularly given names by the 1990s.
Oxford's A Dictionary of First Names suggests that anglicized Kevin may have influenced the adoption of Kelvin (in origin a river name) as a modern given name, which peaked in popularity at about the same time, albeit to a much lesser extent (peaking at rank 209 as of 1961 in the US).A Dictionary of First Names. Oxford University Press (2007) s.v. "Kelvin".
In continental Europe, the name picked up popularity in the 1980s and 1990s via such American pop culture figures as actor Kevin Costner, singer Kevin Richardson, and, most prominently, Kevin McCallister, Macaulay Culkin's character in the Christmas comedy film Home Alone. The name "Kevin" was notorious for being extremely popular among lower-class parents in Europe between the end of the 1980s and the 2000s. The name peaked markedly in the early 1990s, reaching first rank in France (sometimes spelt Kévin) during 1989–1994, during 1991–1992 in Switzerland and in 1991 in Germany. In German markets, Home Alone was released as Kevin – Allein zu Haus. Especially in Germany, the name became associated with low social status, an attitude popularised in German journalism based on a 2009 master thesis on primary teachers' reactions to children's given names. has become German short-hand for negative social preconceptions about trendy or exotic names.Pribyl, Katrin "KEVINISMUS" Wie Namen die Zukunft von Kindern beeinflussen , Welt, 26 February 2008.Zhang, Sarah [The Strange German Disease Called "Kevinism": Can a Lame Name Mess Up Your Life?], Discoblog (discovermagazine.com), 1 February 2012. "Kevinometer: Kennen Sie das Kevinismus-Risiko Ihrer Lieblingsnamen?" (beliebte-vornamen.de) The name has had similar negative connotations in France.
People
Kevin (footballer, born 1997), full name Kevin Peterson dos Santos Silva, Brazilian footballer Kevin (footballer, born 2003), full name Kevin Santos Lopes de Macedo, Brazilian footballer Kevin Abernathy (born 1991), American editor and occasional host of shows on the Game Grumps platform Kevin Abley (1935–2024), Australian rules footballer Kevin Agudelo (born 1998), Colombian footballer Kevin Akpoguma (born 1995), German-Nigerian footballer Kevin Alaníz (born 2003), Uruguayan footballer Kevin Almeroth, professor of computer science Kevin Álvarez (born 1996), Honduran footballer Kevin Álvarez (born 1999), Mexican footballer Kevin Amuneke (born 1986), Nigerian footballer Kevin Anderson (born 1960), American actor Kevin Anderson (born 1986), South African tennis player Kevin J. Anderson (born 1962), American science fiction author Kevin Appier (born 1967), American baseball pitcher Kevin Archer (born 1958), English musician and member of Dexy's Midnight Runners Kevin Ashman (born 1959), English quiz player Jean-Kévin Augustin (born 1997), French footballer Kevin Austin Jr. (born 2000), American football player Kevin Ayers (1944–2013), English songwriter Kevin Bacon, multiple people Kevin Balot (born 1991), Filipino beauty pageant queen Kevin Barker (born 1975), baseball player Kevin Balanta (born 1997), Colombian footballer Kevin Bazzell (born 2003), American baseball player Kevin Beattie (1953–2018), English footballer Kevin Begois (born 1982), Belgian footballer Kevin Betsy (born 1978), English-Seychellois footballer Kevin Behrens (born 1991), German footballer Kevin Bellie (born 1971), American director and choreographer Kevin Benavides (born 1989), Argentine rally raid motorcyclist Kevin Bieksa (born 1981), Canadian former professional ice hockey player Kevin Bigley (born 1986), American television and film actor Kevin Bishop (born 1980), British actor, comedian and writer Kevin-Prince Boateng (born 1987), German-born Ghanaian footballer Kevin Bobson (born 1980), Dutch footballer Kévin Boli (born 1991), French-Ivorian footballer Kevin Bonifazi (born 1996), Italian footballer Kevin Bouie (born 1971), American football player Kevin Boyles (born 1967), Canadian volleyball player Kevin Brands (born 1988), Dutch footballer Kevin Bridges (born 1986), Scottish comedian Kevin Brockman, American businessman Kevin Broll (born 1995), German footballer Kévin Bru (born 1988), French-Mauritian footballer Kevin Bua (born 1993), Swiss footballer Kevin Bukusu (born 2001), German footballer Kevin Burke (born 1993), American football player Kevin Burleson (born 1979), American basketball coach and former player Kévin Cabral (born 1999), French footballer Kevin Campbell, multiple people Kevin Cannavò (born 2000), Italian footballer Kevin Carlberg (born 1987), American musician Kev Carmody (born 1946), Australian singer-songwriter Kevin Carr (born 1958), English football goalkeeper Kevin Carroll (born 1969), American football player Kevin Carter (1960–1994), South African photographer Kevin Cash (born 1977), American baseball manager Dimitri Kévin Cavaré (born 1995), Guadeloupean-French footballer Kevin Ceceri (born 1996), Argentine footballer Kevin Chambliss (born 1981), American politician Kevin Cheng (born 1969), American-born Hong Kong actor Kevin Clash (born 1960), American puppeteer, director and producer Kevin Cogan (born 1956), American racing driver Kevin Coleman (born 1998), American soccer player Kevin Conboy (born 1987), Danish footballer Kevin Concepcion (born 2004), American football player Kevin Conrad (born 1968), Papua New Guinean businessman and environmentalist Kevin Conrad (footballer) (born 1990), German footballer Kevin Conroy (1955–2022), American actor Kevin Coombs (1941–2023), Australian wheelchair basketballer and athlete Kevin Coogan (1952–2020), American journalist and author Kévin Constant (born 1987), French-Guinean footballer Kevin Corrigan (born 1969), American actor Kevin Costner (born 1955), American actor Kevin Crump (died 2023), Australian murderer Kevin Csoboth (born 2000), Hungarian footballer Kevin Dailey, American musician Kevin N. Dalby, American pharmacist Kevin Daley (politician) (born 1957), American politician Kevin Daley (basketball) (born 1976), Panamanian basketball player Kevin Danaher (, 1913–2002), Irish folklorist Kevin Danso (born 1998), Austrian footballer Kevin Davidson (born 1997), American football player Kevin Dawson (born 1992), Uruguayan footballer Kevin De Bruyne (born 1991), Belgian footballer Kevin Deeromram (born 1997), Swedish born Thai footballer Kévin Denkey (born 2000), Togolese footballer Kevin DeShields Jr. (born 2000), American footballer Kevin Desouza (born 1979), Indian American academic Kevin Diaz, multiple people Kevin Diks (born 1996), Dutch footballer Kevin Doherty or Kevin O'Doherty, multiple people Kevin Doyle, multiple people Kevin Duarte (born 2001), Argentine footballer Kevin Durand (born 1974), Canadian actor Kevin Durant (born 1988), American basketball player Jean-Kévin Duverne (born 1997), French footballer Kevin Easley (born 1960), American oil and gas executive Kevin Eastman (born 1962), American comic book artist Kevin Ehlers (born 2001), German footballer Kevin Eldon (born 1959), English actor Kevin Escamilla (born 1994), Mexican footballer Kévin Estre (born 1988), French racing driver Kevin Farell (born 1996), Bolivian footballer Kevin Farrell (born 1947), Irish-born American Catholic cardinal Kevin Faulconer (born 1967), American politician and former mayor of San Diego Kevin Faulk (born 1976), American football player Kevin Federline (born 1978), American dancer Kevin Felida (born 1999), Dutch footballer Kevin Fend (born 1990), Austrian footballer Kevin Fertig (born 1977), American professional wrestler Kevin Fickentscher (born 1988), Swiss footballer Kevin Foelsch (born 2001), American football player Kevin Foley (born 1984), English-Irish footballer Kevin Forster (born 1958), English long-distance runner Kévin Fortuné (born 1989), French-Martiniquais footballer Kevin Foster (born Kevin Bates; 1977), American murderer and leader of the "Lords of Chaos" Kevin Frandsen (born 1982), American professional Baseball player Kevin Freiberger (born 1988), German footballer Kevin Fret (1993–2019), Puerto Rican rapper Kevin Friedland (born 1981), American soccer player Kevin Friesenbichler (born 1994), Austrian footballer Kevin Gallacher (born 1966), Scottish footballer Kevin Galloway (born 1991), American-Iraqi basketball player Kevin Gameiro (born 1987), French footballer Kevin Garnett (born 1976), American basketball player Kevin Gausman (born 1991), American baseball player Kevin Ginkel (born 1994), American baseball player Kevin Gissi (born 1992), Swiss-Argentine footballer Kevin Givens (born 1997), American football player Kevin Goden (born 1999), German footballer Kévin Gohiri (born 1986), French footballer Kevin Gomez-Nieto (born 1994), Dutch footballer Kévin Gomis (born 1989), French footballer Kevin Gordon (rugby league) (born 1989), Australian Rugby player Kevin Green or Kevin Greene, multiple people Kevin Greening (1962–2007), British radio broadcaster Kevin Gregg (born 1978), American baseball player Kevin Großkreutz (born 1988), German footballer Kevin Grund (born 1987), German footballer Kevin Hansen, multiple people Kevin Harbottle (born 1990), Chilean footballer Kevin Harlan (born 1960), American television and radio sports announcer Kevin Harris, multiple people Kevin Harrison (born 1981), American former football linebacker Kevin Hart (born 1979), American actor and comedian Kevin Harvick (born 1975), American race car driver Kevin Haskins (born 1960), British drummer Kevin Haverdink (born 1965), American football player Kevin Hayes or Kevin Hays, multiple people Kevin Hector (born 1944), English footballer Kevin Heinze (1928–2008), Australian television presenter Kevin Herget (born 1991), American baseball player Kevin Hingerl (born 1993), German footballer Kevin Hoffmann (born 1995), German footballer Kevin Hofland (born 1979), Dutch footballer and manager Kévin Hoggas (born 1991), French footballer Kevin Holzweiler (born 1994), German footballer Kevin Ingreso (born 1993), German-Filipino footballer Kevin Isa Luna (born 2001), Argentine footballer Kevin Itabel (born 1993), Argentine footballer Kevin James (disambiguation), multiple people Kevin Jansen (born 1992), Dutch footballer Kevin Janssens, multiple people