The baby name Cavan is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈkævən/ (KAV-ən).
Cavan is Irish in Origin.
The baby name Cavan is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈkævən/ (KAV-ən).
Cavan is Irish in Origin.
Rooted in Irish Gaelic, Cavan most directly derives from the place-name An Cabhán, “the hollow” or “little hollow,” best known via County Cavan. As with many Irish toponyms, it migrated into a surname and, more recently, a given name. Records show it entering broader use in Ireland and the Irish diaspora in the late 20th century, favored for its sleek sound and authentic geographic heritage.
Spelling variants include Caven and Cavin; a related but separate stream treats Cavan as a modern cousin of Kevan/Keevan, tying it to the Gaelic root caomh “gentle, beloved” (source of Kevin, Caoimhín). Thus parents encounter two overlapping interpretations: a landscape-based meaning and a virtue-tinged one. Usage today is predominantly masculine, though not exclusive. The name offers Irish identity without ubiquity, balancing familiarity with distinction.
Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.
| Country | Gender | Year | Rank | Born | of |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JM | 0 | #92 | 2 | 3,714 | |
| GE | Boys | 0 | #109 | 2 | 2,055 |
| AZ | Boys | 0 | #127 | 5 | 1,400 |
| GR | 0 | #135 | 1 | 3,911 | |
| BN | Boys | 0 | #139 | 1 | 6,332 |
| MO | Boys | 0 | #232 | 3 | 5,842 |
| JM | Boys | 0 | #260 | 13 | 6,876 |
| SG | 0 | #280 | 3 | 11,010 | |
| Canada | Boys | 2024 | #300 | 7 | 2,588 |
| CN | Boys | 0 | #330 | 2 | 9,639 |
| MY | 0 | #353 | 2 | 12,352 | |
| HK | 0 | #356 | 2 | 8,483 | |
| OM | Girls | 0 | #424 | 1 | 15,987 |
| ZA | 0 | #471 | 4 | 14,421 | |
| HK | Boys | 0 | #518 | 10 | 12,905 |
| RU | Boys | 0 | #524 | 3 | 12,621 |
| IL | Boys | 0 | #625 | 1 | 10,983 |
| SG | Boys | 0 | #651 | 47 | 17,960 |
| QA | Boys | 0 | #743 | 1 | 18,093 |
| TN | 0 | #865 | 1 | 13,765 | |
| United States | Boys | 2024 | #868 | 25 | 7,044 |
| SA | Girls | 0 | #1,014 | 1 | 25,931 |
| MX | Boys | 0 | #1,033 | 1 | 16,355 |
| MY | Girls | 0 | #1,071 | 2 | 24,821 |
| MY | Boys | 0 | #1,084 | 28 | 25,439 |
| ZA | Boys | 0 | #1,157 | 22 | 25,619 |
| MA | 0 | #1,199 | 1 | 20,986 | |
| ZA | Girls | 0 | #1,236 | 1 | 25,928 |
| TR | 0 | #1,253 | 2 | 19,440 | |
| SA | Boys | 0 | #1,691 | 1 | 28,008 |
Cavan is popular in 22 countries — most recent births per country:
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