Kevin

Kevin is a masculine given name of Irish origin. It is the English form of Caoimhín, a Gaelic name recorded in medieval manuscripts as Caomhín or Caomhghin. The name is associated with Saint Caoimhín, a 6th-century monk who founded a monastic settlement at Glendalough in what is now County Wicklow, Ireland.

Etymology: Caoimhín comes from the Gaelic caomh “gentle, kind” with the diminutive suffix -ín, yielding “little dear one.” The meaning is often described as gentle or noble, and the saint’s fame contributed to the name’s spread in Ireland and beyond.

Usage: Kevin became widely adopted in Ireland and later in the United States and other English-speaking countries, especially in the mid-20th century. In the United States it was particularly popular from the 1950s to the 1980s and remains common, though less frequent for newborns today. Variants include Kevan, Keven, Kevyn, and the French form Kévin.

Notable people and culture: Public figures with the name include Kevin Durant, Kevin Hart, Kevin Bacon, Kevin Spacey, Kevin Costner, and Kevin De Bruyne. In fiction, Kevin McCallister from Home Alone and Kevin Malone from The Office are well-known examples.