Devon

♂ Boy

Pronounced DEV-un /ˈdɛv.ən/High

Meaning: Defender; deep valley dwellers (the Dumnonii tribe); English county name Devon, from the Celtic tribe Dumnonii (deep valley dwellers)Medium

In 30 seconds: An English county name from Celtic Dumnonii (people of the deep valleys), now also used as a given name. Devon, England — known for Dartmoor, cream teas, and Agatha Christie's birthplace — gives the name a misty, literary charm.

💕 Browse more names

Origin MediumCeltic, Irish

MeaningDefender; deep valley dwellers (the Dumnonii tribe); English county name Devon, from the Celtic tribe Dumnonii (deep valley dwellers)

U.S. rank (2025)#1028 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births216 boys (0.01% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1997

Total births (all-time)≈ 72,664

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Devon is the English county name from the Celtic tribe Dumnonii (deep valley dwellers), also related to the Irish Gaelic Daibhin (poet). It became a given name in the 20th century as part of the place-name naming trend.

Devon has been used for both boys and girls in the U.S. since the mid-20th century. For boys it ranked #955 in 2024.

Did you know? Agatha Christie was born in Torquay, Devon, in 1890 — making Devon the birthplace of the world's best-selling mystery novelist, whose Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple are among fiction's greatest detectives.

Overall data confidence 82%

Behind the Name — Devon — Celtic etymologyU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

DevynDevin

Nicknames

Dev

Famous Bearers

★Devon Sawa (1978-)
Canadian actor known for Casper and Final Destination
★Devon Aoki (1982-)
American model and actress who appeared in Sin City and 2 Fast 2 Furious
★Devon Murray (1988-)
Irish actor who played Seamus Finnigan in the Harry Potter films

If you like Devon…

Devin— the standard alternate spelling of the same name

Devyn— the Y-spelling variant of Devon/Devin

Dylan— Celtic place-name used as a given name with the same two-syllable feel

Declan— Irish Gaelic name with the same breezy two-syllable Celtic quality

Brennan— Irish -an ending name with the same Celtic heritage

Explore names like Devon

By themeenglish unisex two-syllable place-name celtic

By meaningProtector Earth / Nature

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Devon mean?

Devon means 'deep valley dwellers,' from the Celtic Dumnonii tribe whose territory became the English county of Devon.

How do you pronounce Devon?

It's said DEV-un — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Devon a boy or girl name?

Devon is a well-established unisex name used for both boys and girls.

How popular is Devon?

Devon ranked #955 for U.S. boys in 2024.