Gavin Name Meaning: History, Variations & Popularity

What Does Gavin Mean?

The name Gavin means “white hawk” and “godsend.”

What is the Origin of the Name Gavin?

Gavin has a Scottish origin but also roots in other Celtic boy names, including Gawain.

How Popular is the Name Gavin?

As of 2021, Gavin ranked as the 173rd most popular name in the United States. Gavin was not popular in the United States until the late 1950s, but at that point, it still only ranked in the 700-900 most popular names. Between the 1960s and 1990s, the name increased in popularity.

By 2000, the name was the 85th most popular in the United States. In 2008, the name reached its peak when it was the 30th most popular name in the United States. From that point, Gavin started to decline in popularity. ⁽¹⁾

In the United Kingdom, Gavin was pretty popular throughout the 20th century and regularly ranked within the top 100 names for boys until the 1990s, when it dipped in popularity. Since that point, this name fell in popularity until 2019.

While the name ranked 1875th most popular in 2018, it rose to 1655th most popular in 2019, and by 2020, the name ranked 1019th most popular in the United Kingdom.

How Do I Pronounce Gavin?

Pronounce the name Gavinn as “GAV-in.”

Is Gavin a Boy or Girl Name?

The name Gavin is primarily given to boys, but it is sometimes given to girls and used as a surname.

Variations of Gavin

There are more variations for Gavin than you may expect. Some of these variations result from different cultural influences, while others come from historical versions of this name. For example, Gawain is a quite old version of the name Gavin.

• Gavan
• Gabhan
• Gavino
• Gawain
• Gawaine
• Gawayn
• Gwayn
• Gawayne
• Gavinus
• Gavon
• Gavinn
• Gavin
• Gauvin
• Gabin
• Gavohn
• Gavun
• Gavyn
• Gaven
• McGavin
• McGobhann

Nicknames for Gavin

A fun thing about the name Gavin is that it is relatively simple with its two syllables and has enough flair to lend itself well to nicknames. There are several fun nicknames for this name that can help personalize this name.

• G
• Ga
• Gav
• Gave
• Gavo
• Gavs
• Gavy
• Gavvy
• Gavi
• Gavey
• Gavie
• Vin
• Vine
• Vinnie
• Vinny
• Avi
• Avin
• Give
• In
• Inny

Similar Names to Gavin

If you like some components of the name Gavin but would prefer a different name, there are many similar names to Gavin. These names may have a similar Scottish origin, may start with a G and have two syllables, or were popular around the same time.

• Cavan
• Daren
• Devin
• Evan
• Gabriel
• Callum
• Lennox
• Malcolm
• Magnus
• Archie
• Evander
• Lachlan
• Hamish
• Maxwell
• Duncan
• Fergus
• Gordon
• Douglas
• Macaulay
• Stewart

Middle Names for Gavin

Since Gavin is a sweet and short name that simultaneously has a bit of interest, it lends itself well to many different nicknames. As a first name, Gavin works well with short and long middle names alike. If you want to continue the Scottish roots, there are plenty of awesome Scottish boy names that would be a great middle name for Gavin.

• Finn
• Knox
• Blake
• Tate
• Mac
• Grant
• James
• Alec
• Keir
• Laith
• Blaine
• Barclay
• Kerr
• George
• Gael
• Giovanni
• Gerard
• Gryffin
• Granger
• Glen

Sibling Names for Gavin

If you already have a little one named Gavin, you may want to find a good name for Gavin’s sibling. When you choose a sibling name, you want to choose an option that connects to Gavin, while celebrating the sibling’s unique identity.

• Gareth
• Seamus
• Dunn
• Grayson
• Wesley
• Warren
• Liam
• Ian
• Allison
• Aberdeen
• Annabel
• Eileen
• Fiona
• Flora
• Grier
• Mackenzie
• Lennox
• Marjorie
• Vanessa
• Rowan

Famous People Named Gavin

The name Gavin is popular among famous people in all fields. There are politicians, artists, musicians, athletes, scientists, and more. The name is popular in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada.

• Gavin Andresen: American software developer
• Gavin Arthur: American astrologer and sexologist
• Gavin Baddeley: British Journalist
• Gavin Barwell: British politician
• Gavin Becker: American singer-songwriter and actor
• Gavin Bellis: Australian Paralympic rower
• Gavin Bryars: English composer and double bassist
• Gavin Crawford: Canadian comedian
• Gavin Creel: American actor, singer, songwriter
• Gavin E. Crooks: English chemist
• Gavin Esler: Scottish journalist
• Gavin Geoffrey Dillard: American poet and songwriter
• Gavin Wilkinson: New Zeland footballer
• Gavin Wood: British programmer
• Gavin Verhey: American Magic: The Gathering designer
• Gavin Turk: English artist
• Gavin Templeton: American jazz musician
• Gavin Shoesmith: Australian singer-songwriter
• Gavin Seager: English racing driver
• Gavin Rossdale: English singer-songwriter

Gavin in Popular Culture

The name Gavin is not used in pop culture as much as it is used for real people. However, there are still quite a few famous Gavins throughout film, television, and literature. There is also the Knight of the Round Table, Sir Gawain. While his name is not Gavin, he is still an important pop culture figure whose name relates to Gavin.

• Sir Gawain: Knight of the Round Table
• Gavin Volure: 30 Rock
• Gavin Young: Austin & Ally
• Gavin Banek: Changing Lanes
• Gavin Belson: Silicon Valley
• Gavin Mitchell: Drake & Josh
• Gavin Guile: Lightbringer
• Gavin Reed: Detroit: Become Human
• Gavin Shipman: Gavin & Stacey
• Gavin Sullivan: EastEnders
• Gavin Stevens: Novel character from William Faulkner
• Gavin Strick: Disturbing Behavior
• Gavin Spinner Mason: Degrassi: The Next Generation

Gavin FAQs