Kelvin
Meaning
from the River Kelvin in Scotland, of uncertain Celtic origin; Brazil's 2000s wave pick, a Kevin with an L of its own
Popularity, 1890–2024
Shape drawn from US Social Security baby-name records. Kelvin peaked in the 1960s and the 2020s in nearly equal measure.
Popularity in Brazil
40,851 people · the #659 first name in Brazil · about 1 in 4,975 · median age 16
Among people named Kelvin living in Brazil at the 2022 census, more were born in the 2000s than in any other decade.
The census also counted 2,762 born between 2020 and August 2022, too recent a span to chart.
Source: IBGE, Censo Demográfico 2022
When you meet Kelvin
People given the name Kelvin in the United States span the generations: the middle half were born anywhere from 1960 to 2009. Age is the one thing the name won't tell you.
Estimated from US Social Security birth registrations and typical lifespans; a rough guide, not a rule.
The Kelvin deep dive
Whether you’re naming a baby or exploring your own name’s history, this is a personal letter, not a list: where Kelvin truly comes from, how it traveled, and what a century of records reveals. If you have grown a tree on nametree, it also considers how Kelvin fits with your family’s names and surname.
Keep exploring
Does Kelvin fit YOUR family?
nametree reads your family’s names and finds the ones that belong. Free, private, no ads.
Add Kelvin to your family’s tree →