Kelvin
Boy name · #1035 in 2025 · Rare
Kelvin ranks #1035 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 214 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #652, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 8,411 boys born in 2025 was named Kelvin.
The 113-year story
Kelvin first appears in the Social Security records in 1912, when 6 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1961, when 1,370 boys were named Kelvin — good for #209 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 Kelvin per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Kelvin against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Kelvin in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Kelvin is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Kelvin will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Kelvin is most common
Geography matters for names, and Kelvin is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Kelvin is most common in NJ (0.3 per 1,000), NY (0.2 per 1,000), TX (0.2 per 1,000), FL (0.2 per 1,000), CA (0.1 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.1 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Kelvin is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Kelvin
Statistically, parents drawn to Kelvin tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Darvin, Nelson, Byron, Darwin, and Kenny.
DarvinNelsonByronDarwinKennyRobinMartinDarren
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Kelvin | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 214 | #1034 |
| 2024 | 201 | #1082 |
| 2023 | 232 | #966 |
| 2022 | 254 | #908 |
| 2021 | 254 | #905 |
| 2020 | 242 | #922 |
| 2019 | 317 | #752 |
| 2018 | 281 | #805 |
| 2017 | 328 | #727 |
| 2016 | 336 | #728 |
| 2015 | 399 | #652 |
| 2014 | 366 | #688 |
| 2013 | 412 | #611 |
| 2012 | 474 | #549 |
| 2011 | 465 | #546 |
| 2010 | 497 | #520 |
| 2009 | 572 | #479 |
| 2008 | 606 | #460 |
| 2007 | 623 | #448 |
| 2006 | 632 | #434 |
| 2005 | 617 | #433 |
| 2004 | 631 | #412 |
| 2003 | 644 | #403 |
| 2002 | 659 | #396 |
| 2001 | 618 | #403 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Kelvin a popular boy name?
Kelvin ranked #1035 among boys in 2025 with 214 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #652.
When was the name Kelvin most popular?
Kelvin peaked in 1961, when 1,370 American boys received the name (ranked #209 that year). Since 1961 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Kelvin?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 8,411 newborn American boys was named Kelvin. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "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.