Kevin
Boy name · #221 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Kevin? In official American birth records, Kevin has been tracked continuously since 1912, giving it 113 years of documented American history.
Kevin is currently the #221 boy name in the United States — 1,628 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #79, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,106 boys born in 2025 was named Kevin.
The 113-year story
Kevin first appears in the Social Security records in 1912, when 9 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1963, when 30,613 boys were named Kevin — good for #11 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 Kevin per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Kevin against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Kevin in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Kevin is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Kevin is most common
Geography matters for names, and Kevin is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Kevin is most common in MD (2.2 per 1,000), MA (1.4 per 1,000), LA (1.4 per 1,000), MS (1.4 per 1,000), VA (1.4 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 1.1 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Kevin is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Kevin
Statistically, parents drawn to Kevin tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Martin, Steven, Peter, Patrick, and Brian.
MartinStevenPeterPatrickBrianKennethAlanRobin
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Kevin | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,628 | #221 |
| 2024 | 1,825 | #196 |
| 2023 | 1,920 | #188 |
| 2022 | 2,077 | #182 |
| 2021 | 2,111 | #183 |
| 2020 | 2,385 | #157 |
| 2019 | 2,622 | #149 |
| 2018 | 3,143 | #125 |
| 2017 | 3,834 | #102 |
| 2016 | 4,557 | #90 |
| 2015 | 5,184 | #79 |
| 2014 | 5,902 | #70 |
| 2013 | 5,946 | #72 |
| 2012 | 6,232 | #69 |
| 2011 | 6,568 | #67 |
| 2010 | 7,330 | #59 |
| 2009 | 8,780 | #44 |
| 2008 | 9,798 | #41 |
| 2007 | 10,537 | #39 |
| 2006 | 10,779 | #37 |
| 2005 | 10,917 | #33 |
| 2004 | 11,220 | #34 |
| 2003 | 11,734 | #32 |
| 2002 | 12,046 | #33 |
| 2001 | 12,596 | #32 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Kevin?
In official American birth records, the name Kevin first appeared in 1912 (over 113 years ago), when 9 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 113 years.
Is Kevin a popular boy name?
Kevin ranked #221 among boys in 2025 with 1,628 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #79.
When was the name Kevin most popular?
Kevin peaked in 1963, when 30,613 American boys received the name (ranked #11 that year). Since 1963 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Kevin?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,106 newborn American boys was named Kevin. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.