Gavin

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Gavin

Gender: Masculine
Language/Origin: Scottish, English
Etymology:
Gavin is the Scottish form of Gawain, the Norman French form of a Welsh name, Gwalchmai, or Gwalchgwyn meaning “May Hawk” from “gwalch” (hawk) and “Mei” (May) or “White Hawk” from “gwalch” (hawk) and “gwyn” (white). (Gwalchmei was the name of a Celtic sun god). (It is also possible, according to The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names, that Gawain comes from the Germanic name Gawin, from the 7th century Germanic name Gavja, meaning “A district of Land”)

History:
Gawain, although popular in the Middle Ages, had died out everywhere but Scotland in the 16th century (where it was Gavin). Scotland exported Gavin to the rest of the English-speaking world in the 20th century.

Pronunciation: ga-vin.

Alternates: Gaven.

Famous Bearers:
Artists and Authors:
Gavin Hamilton (1723-1798)
Scottish painter.
Gavin Maxwell (1914-1969)
Scottish author.
Gavin Buchanan Ewart (1916-1995)
British poet.

Scientists:
Sir Gavin de Beer (1899-1972)
English zoologist.

Popularity:
Percentage from the 1990 U.S. Census:
0.010 % named Gavin

Popularity of Gavin:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1900-1960: N/A
1960-1970: 598th most popular.
1970-1980: 532nd most popular.
1980-1990: 337th most popular.
1990: 308th most popular.
1991: 315th most popular.
1992: 274th most popular.
1993: 300th most popular.
1994: 263rd most popular.
1995: 243rd most popular.
1996: 198th most popular.
1997: 138th most popular.
1998: 117th most popular.
1999: 101st most popular.
2000: 88th most popular.
2001: 79th most popular.
2002: 61st most popular.
2003: 51st most popular.

In Ireland...
1998: 45th most popular.
1999: 58th most popular.
2000: 54th most popular.
2001: 54th most popular.
2002: 55th most popular.
2003: 62nd most popular.

Popularity of Gaven:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1900-2000: N/A
1998: N/A
1999: 961st most popular.
2000: 839th most popular.
2001: 831st most popular.
2002: 724th most popular.
2003: 690th most popular.

Popularity of Gavyn:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1900-2000: N/A
2000: N/A
2001: 953rd most popular.
2002: 862nd most popular.
2003: 720th most popular.