Melvin

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Melvin

Gender: Masculine
Language: English
Etymology:
1. Melvin is a corrupted form of Melville, or Malleville, a French name meaning “Bad Village,” from “mal” (bad), and “ville” (village).
2. Melvin could also be a Celtic name meaning “Smooth Brow,” or an Old English name meaning “High Protector.”

History:
Melvin, when a corrupted form of Melville, a Scottish surname from a noble family with Norman French ancestors. It ultimately comes from Malleville. The family emigrated to Scotland in the 12th century.
Melvin and Melville were first used as first names in the 19th century.

Pronunciation: mell-vin.

Diminutives:
English: Mel.

Alternates: Melvyn.

Famous Bearers:
Artists and Authors:
Melvin Tolson (1898-1966)
American poet.

Educators, Scholars, and Social Workers:
Melville J. Herskovits (1895-1963)
American anthropologist.

Miscellaneous:
Melvin Sheppard (1884-1942)
American Olympic athlete.
Melvin Mouron Belli (1907-1996)
American lawyer, defender of Jack Ruby.
Melvin Ott (1909-1958)
American baseball player.

Political Figures:
Melville Weston Fuller (1833-1910)
American chief justice of the Supreme Court.
Melvin Purvis (1903-1960)
American FBI chief.

Scientists:
Melville Reuben Bissell (1843-1889)
American inventor. Invented the carpet sweeper.
Melvin Calvin (1911-1997)
American biochemist. Winner of the 1961 Nobel Prize for Chemistry.
Melvin Schwartz (1932-)
American physicist. Co-winner of the 1988 Nobel Prize for Physics.

Singers and Entertainers:
Melvin Howard Tormé (1925-1995)
American singer.
Mel Brooks (Melvin Kaminsky) (1926-)
American actor and filmmaker.
Melvin Franklin (David English) (1942-1995)
American singer.

Popularity:
Percentage from the 1990 U.S. Census:
0.162 % named Melvin
0.005 % named Mel

Popularity of Melvin:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1850: 146th most popular.
1875: 170th most popular.
1900-1910: 85th most popular.
1910-1920: 61st most popular.
1920-1930: 50th most popular.
1930-1940: 54th most popular.
1940-1950: 73rd most popular.
1950-1960: 97th most popular.
1960-1970: 133rd most popular.
1970-1980: 129nd most popular.
1980-1990: 241st most popular.
1990: 268th most popular.
1991: 289th most popular.
1992: 310th most popular.
1993: 337th most popular.
1994: 337th most popular.
1995: 356th most popular.
1996: 368th most popular.
1997: 391st most popular.
1998: 411th most popular.
1999: 405th most popular.
2000: 434th most popular.
2001: 431st most popular.
2002: 310th most popular.
2003: 383rd most popular.

In France...
1900-1990: N/A
1994: 189th most popular.
2000: 120th most popular.

Popularity of Melville:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1900-1910: 728th most popular.
1910-1920: 816th most popular.
1920-1930: 994th most popular.
1930-2000: N/A

Popularity of Melvyn:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1900-1930: N/A
1930-1940: 536th most popular.
1940-1950: 556th most popular.
1950-2000: N/A

Popularity of Mel:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1900-1940: N/A
1940-1950: 884th most popular.
1950-1960: 784th most popular.
1960-1970: 901st most popular.
1970-2000: N/A