Kelvin
How to say it: KEL-vin · /ˈkɛlvɪn/
From the River Kelvin in Scotland; from Gaelic meaning 'narrow water'. Also borne by physicist Lord Kelvin.
Kelvin was the 938th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 214 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1960s, its births are down about 46% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #1,076 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #938 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 214 |
| Share of births | 1 in 15,492 |
| Peak decade | 1960s |
| Change over 10 years | −46% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #1,076 |
| In France, 2025 | #1,330 among boys’ names, 15 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Once familiar in the 1960s, Kelvin now sits far below that high and keeps getting rarer. The next few years should see it slip further.
What goes with it
Cool and clipped with breathy sounds. Keith and Kirk share its concise style.
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Kelvin is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in English, French, Portuguese, Spanish.
In France: #1,330 for boys in 2025.
Famous people named Kelvin
- Kelvin Kiptum (1999–2024)Kenyan long-distance runner
- Kelvin Mateus de Oliveira (born 1993)Brazilian association football player
- Kelvin Amian (born 1998)French association football player
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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