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Home › Baby Names Directory › Irvin

Irvin

♂ Boy

Pronounced ERR-vihn /ˈɜɹ.vɪn/Medium

Meaning: Green waterMedium

In 30 seconds: Irvin is an English boy's name with the meaning 'green water'. It carries a watery, landscape-rooted sense.
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Origin MediumEnglish
MeaningGreen water
U.S. rank (2025)#1937 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births80 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1923
Total births (all-time)≈ 39,920

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 192318802025

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

Recorded in English usage, Irvin carries the meaning green water, an image drawn from the natural world. The name has long served as both a surname and a given name. It was borne by Irvin 'Bo' Roberson, an American Olympic silver medalist in the long jump and an AFL receiver.

Irvin has a clipped, two-syllable sound and sits beside the closely related Irving and Irvine in English-speaking countries. The green-water meaning ties it to a family of nature-based names.

Did you know? Irvin likely reached first-name use through a surname or place-name route, which gives it that modern borrowed-from-history feel.
Overall data confidence 78%
Behind the Name - Irvin — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

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Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

  • ★Irvin "Bo" Roberson (1935–2001)
    American athlete, Olympic silver medalist in the long jump (1960) and AFL wide receiver.

If you like Irvin…

Irving— A near-twin of Irvin in sound and English usage, differing by a single letter.
Ervin— An alternate spelling of the same name with the identical sound.
Korbin— shares Irvin's English roots
Marlin— the same nature feel
Merlin— a similarly popular pick

Explore names like Irvin

By themeenglishnaturesurname-style
By meaningSea / Water

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Irvin mean?

Irvin is usually explained as meaning 'green water' and is most often linked with English tradition.

How do you pronounce Irvin?

It's commonly said ERR-vihn /ˈɜɹ.vɪn/.

Is Irvin a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Irvin is used as a boy name.

How popular is Irvin?

In 2024, Irvin ranked #2077 in the U.S. for boys, with 72 births recorded.

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