Calvin
Boy name · #132 in 2025 · Well-known
Calvin ranks #132 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 2,710 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #171, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 664 boys born in 2025 was named Calvin.
The 145-year story
Calvin first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 134 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1924, when 4,918 boys were named Calvin — good for #44 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Calvin per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Calvin against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Calvin in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Calvin is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "well-known". A low score means broad familiarity: teachers will spell it right, and your child may share it with a classmate. For many families that's a feature, not a bug.
Where Calvin is most common
Geography matters for names, and Calvin is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Calvin is most common in VT (8.3 per 1,000), NH (5.6 per 1,000), ME (4.9 per 1,000), UT (4.8 per 1,000), MN (4.8 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 1.8 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Calvin is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Nicknames & related forms of Calvin
Calvin carries a whole family of nicknames and spellings — names that will feel like the same name in a classroom.
Counted as one name, the Calvin family went to about 3,264 boys in 2025 — together they'd rank around #108, versus #132 for Calvin alone.
Names like Calvin
Statistically, parents drawn to Calvin tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Leon, Charlie, Warren, Edwin, and George.
LeonCharlieWarrenEdwinGeorgeFranklinArthurHarvey
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Calvin | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,710 | #132 |
| 2024 | 2,577 | #140 |
| 2023 | 2,411 | #152 |
| 2022 | 2,593 | #148 |
| 2021 | 2,593 | #145 |
| 2020 | 2,535 | #144 |
| 2019 | 2,647 | #145 |
| 2018 | 2,761 | #144 |
| 2017 | 2,703 | #146 |
| 2016 | 2,795 | #149 |
| 2015 | 2,439 | #171 |
| 2014 | 2,337 | #182 |
| 2013 | 2,066 | #195 |
| 2012 | 1,966 | #189 |
| 2011 | 1,709 | #208 |
| 2010 | 1,662 | #215 |
| 2009 | 1,578 | #231 |
| 2008 | 1,630 | #227 |
| 2007 | 1,618 | #229 |
| 2006 | 1,648 | #220 |
| 2005 | 1,619 | #219 |
| 2004 | 1,597 | #219 |
| 2003 | 1,566 | #223 |
| 2002 | 1,561 | #221 |
| 2001 | 1,613 | #215 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Calvin a popular boy name?
Calvin ranked #132 among boys in 2025 with 2,710 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #171.
When was the name Calvin most popular?
Calvin peaked in 1924, when 4,918 American boys received the name (ranked #44 that year). Since 1924 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Calvin?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 664 newborn American boys was named Calvin. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "well-known".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.