Kalvin
Boy name · #1567 in 2025 · Very rare
Kalvin ranks #1567 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 109 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1134, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 16,514 boys born in 2025 was named Kalvin.
The 92-year story
Kalvin first appears in the Social Security records in 1933, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2017, when 177 boys were named Kalvin — good for #1100 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. 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 Kalvin per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Kalvin against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Kalvin in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Kalvin is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Kalvin will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Kalvin is most common
State-level data for Kalvin is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Kalvin
Statistically, parents drawn to Kalvin tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Arvin, Kavin, Selvin, Kain, and Kenton.
ArvinKavinSelvinKainKentonLevinKlaytonTorin
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Kalvin | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 109 | #1564 |
| 2024 | 92 | #1776 |
| 2023 | 89 | #1803 |
| 2022 | 133 | #1393 |
| 2021 | 125 | #1442 |
| 2020 | 139 | #1297 |
| 2019 | 156 | #1218 |
| 2018 | 165 | #1160 |
| 2017 | 177 | #1100 |
| 2016 | 160 | #1183 |
| 2015 | 167 | #1134 |
| 2014 | 118 | #1422 |
| 2013 | 143 | #1238 |
| 2012 | 126 | #1346 |
| 2011 | 129 | #1319 |
| 2010 | 128 | #1331 |
| 2009 | 152 | #1186 |
| 2008 | 154 | #1168 |
| 2007 | 158 | #1132 |
| 2006 | 133 | #1255 |
| 2005 | 127 | #1245 |
| 2004 | 117 | #1280 |
| 2003 | 109 | #1291 |
| 2002 | 137 | #1087 |
| 2001 | 116 | #1178 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Kalvin a popular boy name?
Kalvin ranked #1567 among boys in 2025 with 109 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1134.
When was the name Kalvin most popular?
Kalvin peaked in 2017, when 177 American boys received the name (ranked #1100 that year). Since 2017 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Kalvin?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 16,514 newborn American boys was named Kalvin. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
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.