Harvey

Harvey is a masculine given name and a surname of English origin. It derives from the medieval Norman-French form Hervey or Harvey, itself based on the Breton name Hervé, and is usually interpreted as meaning battle-worthy or worthy of battle. The form Harvey has long appeared in English-speaking countries and remains common today in both given-name and surname usage.

Harvey is also used as a place name in North America. There are towns named Harvey in Illinois, Louisiana, and North Dakota, as well as smaller communities and geographic features in Canada and elsewhere.

In culture, Harvey is the title of a 1944 Broadway play by Mary Chase, later adapted into a 1950 film starring James Stewart. The story centers on Elwood P. Dowd and his friend Harvey, an invisible six-foot-tall rabbit.

In meteorology, Harvey has been the name of several tropical cyclones; the most notable is Hurricane Harvey (2017), which caused extensive flooding in Texas and surrounding areas.

Notable individuals with the given name include Harvey Milk, an American politician and civil rights leader; Harvey Keitel, an American actor; and Harvey Fierstein, an American playwright and actor.