Kevin Gender masculine Language(s) Irish Word/name Caoimhín Meaning of noble birth Variant form(s) Caoimhín, Kevan , Kevyn
Kevin () is the anglicized form of the Irish masculine given name Caoimhín (Irish pronunciation: [ˈkiːvʲiːnʲ] ; Middle Irish : Caoimhghín [ˈkəiṽʲʝiːnʲ] ; Old Irish : Cóemgein [ˈkoiṽʲɣʲinʲ] ; Latinized as Coemgenus ). It is composed of caomh "dear; noble";[1] Old Irish cóem and -gin ("birth"; Old Irish gein ).[2]
The variant Kevan is anglicised from Caoimheán , an Irish diminutive form.[3] The feminine version of the name is Caoimhe (anglicised as Keeva or Kweeva ).
History Saint Kevin (d. 618) founded Glendalough abbey in the Kingdom of Leinster in 6th-century Ireland . Canonized in 1903, he is one of the patron saints of the Archdiocese of Dublin .Caomhán of Inisheer , the patron saint of Inisheer , Aran Islands , is properly anglicized Cavan or Kevan , but often also referred to as "Kevin".
The name was rarely given before the 20th century.[3] In Ireland an early bearer of the anglicised name was Kevin Izod O'Doherty (1823–1905) a Young Irelander and politician; it gained popularity from the Gaelic revival of the late nineteenth century, with Kevin Barry and Kevin O'Higgins prominent in the Irish revolutionary period . Later it was "widely adopted throughout the English-speaking world",[3] surging in popularity during the 1950s. In the United States the name's popularity peaked at rank 11 in 1963. It has steadily decreased in popularity since then, but was still given with moderate frequency in the 2010s, at rank 89 as of 2016.[4] Kevin fell out of the US Top 100 the following year and now ranks at Number 156.[5] The name followed a similar trajectory in the United Kingdom, gaining popularity in the 1950s, peaking in the 1960s, gradually declining in the 1970s to 1980s, and falling out of the top 100 most popularly given names by the 1990s.[6]
Oxford's A Dictionary of First Names suggests that anglicized Kevin may have influenced the adoption of Kelvin (in origin a river name) as a modern given name, which peaked in popularity at about the same time, albeit to a much lesser extent (peaking at rank 209 as of 1961 in the US).[7]
In mainland Europe, the name picked up popularity in the 1980s and 1990s via such American pop culture figures as actor Kevin Costner , singer Kevin Richardson , and, most prominently, Kevin McCallister, Macaulay Culkin 's character in the Christmas comedy film Home Alone .[8] "Kevin" was notorious for being extremely popular among lower-class parents between the end of the 1980s and the 2000s.[8] The name peaked markedly in the early 1990s, reaching first rank in France (sometimes spelt Kévin ) during 1989–1994,[8] during 1991–1992 in Switzerland and in 1991 in Germany.[citation needed ] In German markets, Home Alone was released as "Kevin – Allein zu Haus".[citation needed ] Especially in Germany, the name became associated with low social status, an attitude popularised in German journalism based on a 2009 master thesis on primary teachers' reactions to children's given names.[9] Kevinismus has become German short-hand for negative social preconceptions about trendy or exotic names.[10] [11] The name has had similar negative connotations in France.[12]
People Kevin Abernathy (born 1991), American editor and occasional host of shows on the Game Grumps platformKevin Abley (born 1935), Australian rules footballerKevin Agudelo (born 1998), Colombian footballerKevin Akpoguma (born 1995), German-Nigerian footballerKevin Alaníz (born 2003), Uruguayan footballerKevin Almeroth , professor of computer scienceKevin Álvarez (born 1996), Honduran footballerKevin Álvarez (born 1999), Mexican footballerKevin Amuneke (born 1986), Nigerian footballerKevin Anderson (born 1960), American actorKevin Anderson (born 1986), South African tennis playerKevin J. Anderson (born 1962), American science fiction authorKevin Appier (born 1967), American baseball pitcherKevin Archer (born 1958), English musician and member of Dexy's Midnight RunnersKevin Ashman (born 1959), English quiz playerJean-Kévin Augustin (born 1997), French footballerKevin Austin Jr. (born 2000), American football playerKevin Ayers (1944–2013), English songwriterKevin Bacon (disambiguation) , several peopleKevin Balot (born 1991), Filipino beauty pageant queenKevin Barker (born 1975), baseball playerKevin Balanta (born 1997), Colombian footballerKevin Beattie (1953–2018), English footballerKevin Begois (born 1982), Belgian footballerKevin Betsy (born 1978), English-Seychellois footballerKevin Behrens (born 1991), German footballerKevin Bellie (born 1971), American director and choreographerKevin Benavides (born 1989), Argentine rally raid motorcyclistKevin-Prince Boateng (born 1987), German-born Ghanaian footballerKevin Bobson (born 1980), Dutch footballerKévin Boli (born 1991), French-Ivorian footballerKevin Bonifazi (born 1996), Italian footballerKevin Bouie (born 1971), American football playerKevin Boyles (born 1967), Canadian volleyball playerKevin Brands (born 1988), Dutch footballerKevin Bridges (born 1986), Scottish comedianKevin Brockman , American businessmanKevin Broll (born 1995), German footballerKévin Bru (born 1988), French-Mauritian footballerKevin Bua (born 1993), Swiss footballerKevin Bukusu (born 2001), German footballerKevin Burke (born 1993), American football playerKévin Cabral (born 1999), French footballerKevin Campbell , multiple peopleKevin Cannavò (born 2000), Italian footballerKevin Carlberg (born 1987), American musicianKev Carmody (born 1946), Australian singer-songwriterKevin Carr (born 1958), English football goalkeeperKevin Carroll (born 1969), American football playerKevin Carter (1960–1994), South African photographerKevin Cash (born 1977), American baseball managerDimitri Kévin Cavaré (born 1995), Guadeloupean-French footballerKevin Ceceri (born 1996), Argentine footballerKevin Cheng (born 1969), American-born Hong Kong actorKevin Clash (born 1960), American puppeteer, director and producerKevin Cogan (born 1956), American racing driverKevin Coleman (born 1998), American soccer playerKevin Conboy (born 1987), Danish footballerKevin Conrad (born 1990), German footballerKevin Conroy (1955–2022), American actorKévin Constant (born 1987), French-Guinean footballerKevin Corrigan (born 1969), American actorKevin Costner (born 1955), American actorKevin Crump , Australian murdererKevin N. Dalby , American pharmacistKevin Daley (politician) (born 1957), American politicianKevin Daley (born 1976), Panamanian basketball playerKevin Danaher (Caoimhín Ó Danachair , 1913–2002), Irish folkloristKevin Danso (born 1998), Austrian footballerKevin Davidson (born 1997), American football playerKevin Dawson (born 1992), Uruguayan footballerKevin De Bruyne (born 1991), Belgian footballerKevin Deeromram (born 1997), Swedish born Thai footballerKévin Denkey (born 2000), Togolese footballerKevin Desouza (born 1979), Indian American academicKévin Diaz (born 1983), French footballerKevin Diks (born 1996), Dutch footballerKevin Doherty (born 1958), Canadian judokaKevin Doyle (born 1983), Irish footballerKevin Duarte (born 2001), Argentine footballerKevin Durand (born 1974), Canadian actorKevin Durant (born 1988), American basketball playerJean-Kévin Duverne (born 1997), French footballerKevin Easley (born 1960), American oil and gas executiveKevin Eastman (born 1962), American comic book artistKevin Ehlers (born 2001), German footballerKevin Escamilla (born 1994), Mexican footballerKevin Faulconer (born 1967), American politician and former mayor of San DiegoKevin Faulk (born 1976), American football playerKevin Federline (born 1978), American dancerKevin Felida (born 1999), Dutch footballerKevin Fend (born 1990), Austrian footballerKevin Fertig (born 1977), American professional wrestlerKevin Fickentscher (born 1988), Swiss footballerKevin Foley (born 1984), English-Irish footballerKevin Forster (born 1958), English long-distance runnerKévin Fortuné (born 1989), French-Martiniquais footballerKevin Foster (born Kevin Bates; 1977), American murderer and leader of the "Lords of Chaos"Kevin Frandsen (born 1982), American professional Baseball playerKevin Freiberger (born 1988), German footballerKevin Friedland (born 1981), American soccer playerKevin Friesenbichler (born 1994), Austrian footballerKevin Gallacher (born 1966), Scottish footballerKevin Galloway (born 1991), American-Iraqi basketball playerKevin Gameiro (born 1987), French footballerKevin Garnett (born 1976), American basketball playerKevin Gausman (born 1991), American baseball playerKevin Ginkel (born 1994), American baseball playerKevin Gissi (born 1992), Swiss-Argentine footballerKevin Givens (born 1997), American football playerKevin Goden (born 1999), German footballerKévin Gohiri (born 1986), French footballerKevin Gomez-Nieto (born 1994), Dutch footballerKévin Gomis (born 1989), French footballerKevin Gordon (born 1989), Australian Rugby playerKevin Green (born 1968), Welsh businessman, wealth coach, media personality and educational advisorKevin Greening (1962–2007), British radio broadcasterKevin Gregg (born 1978), American baseball playerKevin Grob (born 1992), German footballerKevin Großkreutz (born 1988), German footballerKevin Grund (born 1987), German footballerKevin Hansen (born 1979), German footballerKevin Harbottle (born 1990), Chilean footballerKevin Harlan (born 1960), American television and radio sports announcerKevin Harris (disambiguation) , multiple peopleKevin Harrison (born 1981), American former football linebackerKevin Hart (born 1979), American actor and comedianKevin Harvick (born 1975), American race car driverKevin Haskins (born 1960), British drummerKevin Haverdink (born 1965), American football playerKevin Hayes (Caoimhín Ó hAodha , born 1962), English cricketerKevin Hayes (born 1984), Irish hurlerKevin Hayes (born 1992), American ice hockey playerKevin Hector (born 1944), English footballerKevin Heinze (1928–2008), Australian television presenterKevin Herget (born 1991), American baseball playerKevin Hingerl (born 1993), German footballerKevin Hoffmann (born 1995), German footballerKevin Hofland (born 1979), Dutch footballer and managerKévin Hoggas (born 1991), French footballerKevin Holzweiler (born 1994), German footballerKevin Ingreso (born 1993), German-Filipino footballerKevin Isa Luna (born 2001), Argentine footballerKevin Itabel (born 1993), Argentine footballerKevin James (born 1965), American actorKevin Jansen (born 1992), Dutch footballerKevin Janssens (born 1986), Belgian footballerKevin Johansen (born 1964), Argentine musicianKevin Johnson (born 1966), American basketball player and politicianKevin Jonas (born 1987), member of the Jonas Brothers Kevin Kabran (born 1993), Swedish footballerKevin Kampl (born 1990), Slovenian footballerKevin Kauber (born 1995), Estonian footballerKevin Keatts (born 1972), American basketball coachKevin Keegan (born 1951), English footballer and coachKevin Keelan (born 1941), English footballerKevin Keen (born 1967), English footballer and coachKevin Kerr (born 1990), German-Scottish footballerKevin Kiermaier (born 1990), American baseball playerKevin Kilbane (born 1977), English-Irish footballerKevin Kilner (born 1958), American actorKevin King (American football) (born 1995), American football playerKevin Kingston (born 1983), Australian Rugby League playerKevin Kline (born 1947), American actorKevin Koffi (born 1986), Ivorian footballerKevin Kolevar , American businessmanKevin Korjus (born 1993), Estonian racing driverKévin Koubemba (born 1993), French-Congolese footballerKevin Kratz (born 1987), German footballerKevin Kraus (born 1992), German footballerKevin Martin Krygård (born 2000), Norwegian footballerKevin Kubusheskie, Canadian actor who was a cast member on the Canadian sketch comedy TV series You Can't Do That on Television Kevin Kühnert (born 1989), German politicianKevin Kunz (born 1992), German footballerKevin Kurányi (born 1982), Brazil-born German footballerKevin Kuske (born 1979), German bobsledderKevin Kyle (born 1981), Scottish footballerKevin James LaBrie (born 1963), Canadian singerKévin Lacroix (born 1984), French-Guadeloupean footballerKevin Lafrance (born 1990), French-Haitian footballerKevin Lankford (born 1998), German-American footballerKevin Lasagna (born 1992), Italian footballerKevin Le Gendre (living), British journalist, broadcasterKevin LeVar , American musicianKevin Nicolás Leyes (born 2000), Argentine musicianKevin Lilly (born 1963), American football playerKevin Lisbie (born 1978), English-Jamaican footballerKevin Lisch (born 1986), American basketball playerKevin Long (disambiguation) , multiple peopleKevin Love (born 1988), American basketball playerKevin Luckassen (born 1993), Dutch footballerKevin Lundberg (born 1952), member of Colorado State Senate Kevin Lynch (1956–1981), Irish republican, IRA hunger striker who died in 1981Kevin Lomónaco (born 2002), Argentine footballerKevin López (born 1990), Spanish athleteKevin Mac Allister (born 1997), Argentine footballerKevin MacLeod (born 1972), American music composerKevin Macmichael (1951–2002), Musician, co-founder of pop-rock group Cutting Crew Kevin Maek (born 1988), German footballerKevin Magee (basketball) (1959–2003), American basketball playerKevin Magee (footballer) (born 1971), former Scottish professional footballerKevin Maggs (born 1974), Irish rugby playerKevin Magnussen (born 1992), Danish racing driverKévin Malcuit (born 1991), French-Moroccan footballerKevin Malget (born 1991), Luxembourgian footballerKevin Matthews (wrestler) , American professional wrestlerKevin Martin (born 1983), American basketball playerKevin Mason (born 1972), American football playerKevin Mayer (born 1992), French decathleteKévin Mayi (born 1993), French footballerKevin Mbabu (born 1995), Swiss footballerKevin McCarthy (born 1965), California politicianKevin McCarthy (1914–2010), American actorKevin McDonald (born 1961), Canadian comedian and actorKevin McDonald (born 1988), Scottish footballerKevin McHale (born 1957), American basketball playerKevin McKenna (born 1980), Canadian soccer playerKevin McKidd (born 1973), Scottish film actorKevin McMahon (born 1972), American hammer throwerKevin Mensah (born 1991), Danish footballerKevin Mercado (born 1995), Ecuadorian footballerKevin Mirallas (born 1987), Belgian footballerKevin Mitchell (born 1981), Canadian water polo playerKevin Mitnick (born 1963), computer security consultant and convicted hacker Kevin J. Miyazaki , graphic designer, photographer, and educatorHulisani Kevin Mmbara (born 1979), South African political youth leaderKevin Möhwald (born 1993), German footballerKevin Molino (born 1990), Trinidadian footballerKévin Monnet-Paquet (born 1988), French footballerKevin Moon (born 1998), Canadian singer and artistKevin Moran (born 1956), Irish footballerKevin Müller (born 1991), German footballerKevin Muscat (born 1973), Australian football managerKevin Nadal (born 1978), author, professor, activist, and comedianKevin Naiqama (born 1989), Australian-Fijian Rugby League playerKevin Nanney (born 1989), American professional Super Smash Bros. Melee player known as PPMDKevin Nash (born 1959), American professional wrestlerKévin N'Doram (born 1996), French footballerKevin Nealon (born 1953), American actorKevin Neufeld (born 1960), Canadian rowerKevin Newman (disambiguation) , multiple peopleKevin Newsome (born 1991), American football playerKevin Nisbet (born 1997), Scottish footballerGeorges-Kévin Nkoudou (born 1995), French footballerKevin Northcutt (born 1973), American retired professional wrestlerKevin Nugent (born 1969), English football manager and former playerCaoimhghín Ó Caoláin (born 1953), Irish politicianKevin O'Higgins (Caoimhghín Ó hUigín , 1892–1927), Irish politicianKevin O'Leary (multiple people)Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh (born 1979), Irish fiddlerKévin Olimpa (born 1988), French-Martiniquais footballerKévin Oliveira (born 1996), Cape Verdean footballerKevin Ollie (born 1972), American basketball playerKevin Oris (born 1984), Belgian footballerKevin Ortiz (born 2000), Argentine footballerKevin Owens (born 1984), Canadian professional wrestlerKevin Padlo (born 1996), American baseball playerKevin Pannewitz (born 1991), German footballerKevin Paredes (born 2003), American soccer playerKevin Parker (born 1986), Australian musician and member of Tame Impala Kevin Peterson (born 1994), American football playerKevin Pezzoni (born 1989), German footballerKevin Phillips (born 1973), English footballerKevin Pietersen (born 1980), English cricketerKevin Pillar (born 1989), major league baseball playerKevin Plank (born 1972), American billionaire businessman and philanthropistKevin Plawecki (born 1991), American baseball playerKevin Pollak (born 1957), American actorKevin Poon , Hong Kong-based entrepreneur, fashion designer, event organizer, and bloggerKevin Porter Jr. (born 2000), American basketball playerKevin Poulsen (born 1965), American former black-hat hackerKevin Quevedo (born 1997), Peruvian footballerKevin F. F. Quigley , American administratorKevin B. Quinn , American chief executive officerKevin Rader (American football) (born 1995), American football playerKevin Ramírez (born 1994), Uruguayan footballerKevin Rankin (basketball) (born 1971), American/Turkish retired professional basketball playerKevin Rauhut (born 1989), German footballerKevin Reynolds (born 1990), Canadian figure skaterKévin Reza (born 1988), French racing cyclistKevin Richardson (born 1986), American college running back Kevin Richardson (born 1962), English footballerKevin Richardson (born 1971), member of the Backstreet Boys Kevin Michael Richardson (born 1964), American voice actorKevin Ricks (born 1960), English former schoolteacher and convicted child molester and child pornography offenderKévin Rimane (born 1991), French Guianan footballerKevin Robertson (born 1959), Water polo playerKévin Rocheteau (born 1993), French footballerKévin Rodrigues (born 1994), French-Portuguese footballerKevin Rodrigues-Pires (born 1991), German-Portuguese footballerKevin Rolland (born 1989), French freestyle skierKevin D. Rome (born c. 1966), University administratorKevin Rose (born 1977), founder of Digg Kevin Rowland (born 1953), musician and former frontman of the band Dexys Midnight Runners Kevin Rudd (born 1957), 26th Prime Minister of Australia , Minister of Foreign AffairsKevin Rudolf (born 1983), American singerKevin Rüegg (born 1998), Swiss footballerKevin Sandoval (born 1962), Guatemalan footballerKevin Sandoval (born 1997), Peruvian footballerKevin Sangsamanan (born 1997), Thai footballerKevin Scheidhauer (born 1992), German footballerKevin Schindler (born 1988), German footballerKevin Schlitte (born 1981), German footballerKevin Schöneberg (born 1985), German footballerKevin Schulze (born 1992), German footballerKevin Schwantz (born 1964), American road racerKevin Seitzer (born 1962), American baseball player and coachKevin Sessa (born 2000), German footballerKevin Sheedy (born 1947), Australian footballer and Member of the Order of AustraliaKevin Sheedy (born 1959), Irish footballerKevin Sherman (born 1968), American football player and coachKevin Shields (born 1963), musicianKevin Shoemake (born 1965), English footballerKevin Sibille (born 1998), Argentine footballerKevin Simm (born 1980), English singer, songwriter, and musician who was a member of the pop group Liberty X Kevin Sinfield (born 1980), English rugby league player and current captain of the Leeds Rhinos Kevin Sitorus (born 1994), Indonesian basketball playerKevin Smith (1963–2002), New Zealand actorKevin Smith (born 1970), American screenwriter, producer and directorKevin Smith (baseball) (born 1996), American baseball playerKevin Sommers, Canadian actor who was a cast member on the Canadian sketch comedy TV series You Can't Do That on Television Kévin Soni (born 1998), Cameroonian footballerKevin Sorbo (born 1958), American actorKevin Souter (born 1984), Scottish footballerKevin Spacey (born 1959), American actorKevin St. Onge , world record holderKevin Steuke (born 1992), German footballerKevin Stevens (born 1965), American hockey playerKevin Stewart (born 1993), English footballerKevin Stöger (born 1993), Austrian footballerKevin Strickland (born 1959), American wrongfully convicted of murderKevin Strong (born 1996), American football playerKevin Strootman (born 1990), Dutch footballerKevin Stuhr Ellegaard (born 1983), Danish footballerKevin Sullivan (wrestler) (1949), American professional wrestlerKévin Théophile-Catherine (born 1989), French footballerKevin Tighe (born 1944), American actorKevin Tittel (born 1994), German footballerKevin Toliver II (born 1995), American football playerKevin Toner (born 1996), Irish footballerKevin Trapp (born 1990), German footballerKevin Tumba (born 1991), Belgian-Congolese basketball playerKevin Ray Underwood (born 1979), convicted murdererKevin Ullyett (born 1972), former professional tennis player from ZimbabweKevin van Dessel (born 1979), Belgian footballerKevin van Diermen (born 1989), Dutch footballerKevin van Kippersluis (born 1993), Dutch footballerKevin van Veen (born 1991), Dutch footballerKevin Vandenbergh (born 1983), Belgian footballerKévin Vandendriessche (born 1989), French footballerKevin Varga (born 1996), Hungarian footballerKevin Vázquez Comesaña (born 1993), Spanish footballerKevin Vermeulen (born 1990), Dutch footballerKevin Verville , American politician from New HampshireKevin Vicuna (born 1998), Venezuelan professional baseball playerKevin Vink (born 1984), Dutch footballerKevin Visser (born 1988), Dutch footballerKevin Vogt (born 1991), German footballerKevin Volland (born 1992), German footballerKevin Von Erich (born 1957), retired American professional wrestlerKevin Walker (disambiguation) , multiple peopleKevin Warwick (born 1954), British cybernetics professor at the University of Reading Kevin Weidlich (born 1989), German footballerKevin Werdelmann , German songwriter and musicianKevin White (1929–2012), American mayor of Boston 1968–1984Kevin Wimmer (born 1992), Austrian footballerKevin Winston Jr. , American college football playerKevin Wölk (born 1985), German footballerKevin Wolze (born 1990), German footballerKevin Wright (born 1995), English-Sierra Leonean footballerKevin Youkilis (born 1979), American baseball playerKevin Young (born 1961), English footballerKevin John Wasserman (born 1963), American guitarist for The Offspring (better known as "Noodles")Kevin Zenón (born 2001), Argentine footballerKevin Žižek (born 1998), Slovenian footballerKévin Zohi (born 1997), Ivorian-Malian footballerFictional Cousin Kevin, a character in the musical film Tommy Kevin, a character in the Canadian drama television series Neon Rider Kevin , a character in Frank Miller 's Sin City yarnsKevin, a character in Konami's role-playing game Suikoden IV Kevin Keene , the title character from the cartoon Captain N: The Game Master Kevin Arnold, the main character played by Fred Savage in the American coming-of-age, comedy-drama television series The Wonder Years Kevin Beckman, a character in the 2016 American supernatural comedy film Ghostbusters Kevin Boggs, a character in 1990 American fantasy romance movie Edward Scissorhands Kevin Burke, a character in the 1998 American sitcom Two of a Kind Kevin Butler , a fictional character in Sony's "It Only Does Everything" PS3 marketing campaignKevin , a character from the cartoon Ed, Edd n Eddy Kevin Fischer, a character from the movie Final Destination 3 Kevin Grant-Gomez, a character from the Disney Channel animated series Hamster & Gretel Kevin, a mobile crane from Thomas and Friends Kevin, a flightless bird from Disney-Pixar's movie Up Kevin, the leading minion in Minions Kevin McCallister, the main character from the Home Alone franchise Kevin the Gerbil, a British puppet seen in many productions alongside Roland Rat Kevin, one of the four penguins from the VeggieTales spinoff 3-2-1 Penguins! Kevin, the leader of the Jelly Spotters from SpongeBob SquarePants Kevin Owens, a character from Mr. Belvedere Kevin Phillips, a character in the 1994 American coming-of-age comedy-drama movie My Girl 2 Kevin Porter, a character in the novel and Netflix series 13 Reasons Why Kevin Reynolds, a character from the Canadian animated TV series Supernoobs Kevin Tran is a prophet on the American dark fantasy television series Supernatural Kevin the Teenager , a character created and played by the comedian Harry Enfield See also References External links
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