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Trevor

♂ Boy

Pronounced TREV-er /ˈtrɛv.ər/High

Meaning: From the Welsh place name Trefor, composed of tref meaning homestead, town, or village and mawr or fawr meaning great or large, meaning large homestead or big villageHigh

In 30 seconds: A clean Welsh surname-name meaning large homestead, Trevor was a mid-to-late 20th century favorite in Britain and America and carries a solid, reliable two-syllable character.
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Origin HighWelsh
MeaningFrom the Welsh place name Trefor, composed of tref meaning homestead, town, or village and mawr or fawr meaning great or large, meaning large homestead or big village
U.S. rank (2025)#680 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births400 boys (0.02% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1998
Total births (all-time)≈ 161,158

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 199819152025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

Trevor comes from the Welsh place name Trefor, from tref (homestead, town) and the lenited form of mawr (great, large), meaning large homestead or big settlement. The name was used as a place name throughout Wales and became a personal name through the Welsh surname tradition before crossing to England and beyond.

Trevor was popular in Britain from the 1950s through the 1980s and crossed to the United States where it was particularly in fashion in the 1980s and 1990s. It has been declining in both countries since then but remains in steady use with a generation of Trevors now in their 30s and 40s. It has a clean, trustworthy quality that many parents still appreciate. South African comedian and TV host Trevor Noah gave the name renewed visibility.

Did you know? Trevor is one of the most successfully exported Welsh names in the English-speaking world — alongside Lloyd, Gareth, and Dylan — reflecting the influence of Welsh immigration and culture on British and American naming.
Overall data confidence 92%
Behind the Name — Trevor — etymologyU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

TreforTrev

Nicknames

Trev

Famous Bearers

  • ★Trevor Noah (1984–present)
    South African comedian and former host of The Daily Show.

If you like Trevor…

Garrett— shares the same mid-century Anglo-Celtic popularity arc and the two-syllable cadence
Brendan— fellow Celtic surname-name with the same solid, reliable British-American character
Owen— shares the Welsh origin and the same quietly distinguished Celtic heritage
Evan— another Welsh name with the same clean two-syllable sound and the same steady reliability

Frequently Asked

What does the name Trevor mean?

Trevor comes from Welsh Trefor meaning large homestead or big village, from tref (homestead) and mawr (great, large).

How do you pronounce Trevor?

It is said TREV-er /ˈtrɛv.ər/ — two syllables with stress on the first.

Is Trevor a Welsh name?

Yes — Trevor is of Welsh origin, derived from the Welsh place name Trefor.

Is Trevor still a popular name?

Trevor peaked in the 1980s–90s in the U.S. and Britain and remains in steady use with a reliable, familiar quality.