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Melvin as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Melvin

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The baby name Melvin is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced MEL-vin (IPA: /ˈmɛlvɪn/).

Melvin is English, Scottish in Origin.

Gender: Male
Syllables: 2.0
Origin: English, Scottish
Pronunciation: MEL-vin (IPA: /ˈmɛlvɪn/)

What is the meaning of the name Melvin ?

The baby name Melvin is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced MEL-vin (IPA: /ˈmɛlvɪn/).

Melvin is English, Scottish in Origin.

Melvin blends several strands of Celtic and Norman-French onomastics, but is most commonly the transferred use of the Scottish surname Melville, itself from Norman French Malleville (“bad/poor settlement”). In Ireland the surname Melvin also Anglicizes Ó Maoil Mhín, from maol “tonsured, devotee” + mín “gentle, smooth,” yielding senses like “devotee of the gentle one.” As a given name it entered general English use in the 19th century; it is occasionally confused with or influenced by Mervyn (Welsh Merfyn). Variants and related forms include Melvyn, Melwin, Malvin, the short form Mel, and the feminine Melvina.

The name rose sharply in the United States between the 1880s and 1930s, then faded mid-century, lending it a vintage, mid-century charm today. Notable bearers include Nobel chemist Melvin Calvin, filmmaker Melvin Van Peebles, bass singer Melvin Franklin of The Temptations, and Nobel physicist Melvin Schwartz.

Melvin has the following similar or variant Names

Melvin – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Ireland Boys 2024 #1 — 820
Germany Boys 2019 #1 — 433
SV 0 #11 1 283
HN 0 #15 8 704
BW 0 #19 1 960
SV Boys 0 #21 8 352
HN Boys 0 #28 26 749
NA 0 #28 6 2,537
BN 0 #32 1 2,297
ID 0 #38 2 2,238
MT 0 #42 2 1,767
PR 0 #48 8 1,497
Sweden Boys 2022 #54 210 1,509
CM 0 #56 1 2,592
CY 0 #60 1 1,632
GT Boys 0 #65 1,799 7,625
LU 0 #65 2 2,830
IN 0 #70 2 2,963
PH 0 #72 25 5,607
JM 0 #74 14 3,714
AO 0 #77 1 2,729
MV Boys 0 #78 2 3,375
PR Boys 0 #80 124 2,508
SI 0 #80 1 1,612
CN 0 #85 2 3,857
Norway Boys 2025 #95 43 444
PH Boys 0 #96 417 11,440
QA 0 #99 8 7,011
CR Boys 0 #102 1,158 10,188
SD 0 #102 1 2,130
TW 0 #102 2 4,523
GT 0 #104 259 5,948
MT Boys 0 #107 73 4,064
BN Boys 0 #110 24 6,332
KW 0 #114 8 5,216
SG 0 #114 176 11,010
EC 0 #118 4 2,502
OM 0 #118 4 6,215
ID Boys 0 #122 10 4,130
EE Boys 0 #124 2 2,087
Switzerland Boys 2024 #127 11 1,769
PA 0 #130 9 3,797
SG Boys 0 #130 1,206 17,960
CR 0 #132 27 5,526
BW Boys 0 #135 15 4,685
GR 0 #135 1 3,911
MU 0 #135 3 3,613
PA Boys 0 #137 745 9,305
BW Girls 0 #151 1 4,216
RS Boys 0 #152 3 2,277
MT Girls 0 #153 1 3,773
AE 0 #154 24 10,220
NA Boys 0 #161 75 6,830
NL Boys 0 #162 2,554 5,873
HR 0 #181 1 2,081
AR 0 #192 2 2,915
JM Boys 0 #195 78 6,876
LU Boys 0 #202 17 4,970
Belgium Boys 2009 #203 31 415
MO Boys 0 #206 18 5,842
SI Boys 0 #210 2 3,402
AO Girls 0 #217 1 4,575
TW Boys 0 #218 24 7,111
PS 0 #224 3 5,692
MY 0 #225 110 12,352
EC Boys 0 #227 13 3,322
BG Girls 0 #231 1 3,559
NA Girls 0 #236 2 7,146
GH 0 #245 4 5,396
AO Boys 0 #248 2 5,568
GR Girls 0 #249 1 6,293
NG 0 #252 13 5,926
SA 0 #253 43 10,560
AF Boys 0 #274 1 3,535
NL 0 #274 121 2,481
JM Girls 0 #278 1 7,507
IL 0 #282 1 6,291
Canada Boys 2024 #284 23 2,588
MY Boys 0 #287 1,546 25,439
PE 0 #294 17 6,350
KZ Boys 0 #296 1 6,578
AL Boys 0 #298 6 5,122
JP Boys 0 #299 5 7,909
CN Boys 0 #302 18 9,639
CZ Boys 0 #305 1 6,530
GH Boys 0 #314 32 8,138
France Boys 2021 #316 73 2,865
DK Boys 0 #329 4 7,401
HK 0 #334 15 8,483
MU Boys 0 #336 22 8,477
GH Girls 0 #337 1 6,973
PL Boys 0 #338 3 6,459
QA Girls 0 #340 4 15,378
BO 0 #360 22 6,868
PT Boys 0 #373 9 7,951
ZA 0 #374 74 14,421
PH Girls 0 #381 10 13,098
JO Boys 0 #389 1 7,057
YE 0 #397 2 8,639
ZA Boys 0 #400 1,391 25,619
CL 0 #402 10 6,867
Finland Boys 2026 #405 366 3,552
Austria Boys 0 #406 37 2,180
UY Boys 0 #406 8 5,922
Finland Boys 0 #412 16 2,041
OM Girls 0 #418 7 15,987
HK Boys 0 #419 111 12,905
Germany 0 #424 14 2,542
MX 0 #438 8 8,339
Spain 0 #442 11 2,326
PE Boys 0 #453 605 14,506
AR Boys 0 #455 13 7,628
BO Boys 0 #462 132 9,244
SD Boys 0 #463 4 10,523
BH 0 #489 65 17,937
CM Boys 0 #489 62 12,054
GT Girls 0 #490 16 7,500
CO 0 #504 7 7,768
PA Girls 0 #510 9 9,861
RU Girls 0 #522 2 11,913
PS Boys 0 #524 25 10,655
RU Boys 0 #524 3 12,621
QA Boys 0 #534 174 18,093
AE Girls 0 #542 12 20,968
PS Girls 0 #547 1 10,981
KW Girls 0 #554 8 19,177
CM Girls 0 #555 6 11,671
LY 0 #559 1 12,703
IR Boys 0 #561 5 10,162
CR Girls 0 #567 7 11,342
SG Girls 0 #573 14 18,916
CL Boys 0 #589 77 13,390
BO Girls 0 #602 10 9,488
BD Boys 0 #604 2 10,045
KW Boys 0 #605 165 18,755
IL Boys 0 #617 9 10,983
United States Boys 2024 #623 275 7,044
HK Girls 0 #644 7 16,104
IL Girls 0 #645 1 11,648
IN Girls 0 #654 1 13,121
NG Boys 0 #658 320 16,906
CO Boys 0 #667 262 15,656
LB 0 #689 2 13,263
Germany Boys 0 #690 272 5,697
IQ Boys 0 #694 4 13,071
IT 0 #699 16 4,183
MX Boys 0 #719 269 16,355
AE Boys 0 #737 369 22,615
OM Boys 0 #744 138 17,948
NG Girls 0 #766 21 15,093
BR Boys 0 #784 2 12,213
Spain Boys 0 #789 143 5,610
TN 0 #865 1 13,765
SA Girls 0 #907 29 25,931
CL Girls 0 #911 5 14,098
EG Boys 0 #920 6 15,035
PE Girls 0 #924 20 14,861
SA Boys 0 #935 817 28,008
IN Boys 0 #943 59 16,750
MY Girls 0 #967 28 24,821
BR Girls 0 #992 1 12,708
EG Girls 0 #1,009 1 14,742
CO Girls 0 #1,057 22 16,140
ZA Girls 0 #1,096 46 25,928
MA 0 #1,117 12 20,986
TR 0 #1,198 14 19,440
IT Boys 0 #1,209 263 10,046
DZ 0 #1,226 9 20,130
MX Girls 0 #1,260 8 17,781

Melvin is popular in 87 countries — most recent births per country:

France
Canada
Norway
Switzerland
Sweden

Did we miss something about this name? Let us know!

People also ask about Melvin

Melvin is predominantly a boy's name.
Melvin is a 2 syllable name, pronounced MEL-vin (IPA: /ˈmɛlvɪn/).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Melvyn, Mel, Melville, Malvin and Melvino.
Across languages, Melvin has these equivalents: Melvyn (Welsh spelling), Melville (surname form), Malvin (alternate form).
Yes, very popular — Melvin ranked #1 in Ireland in 2024, and appears in official birth registries across 11 countries.
Melvin ranks highest in Ireland (#1 in 2024).
Melvin's popularity is declining significantly. It moved from #146 in 2011 to #316 in 2021 in France.