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Irvine
How to Pronounce Irvine
Pronounced UR-vin /ˈɜr.vɪn/Medium
Meaning: Irvine is a Scottish surname and place name - a town in Ayrshire - later used as a given name and closely tied to Irving and Irwin. Its roots are debated, variously connected to a Brittonic river name or Gaelic elements read as 'green water' or 'fresh'. It reached American birth records as a dignified surname-name.Low
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
Irvine comes from a Scottish place and surname, the town of Irvine in Ayrshire, whose name may draw on a Brittonic river word or Gaelic elements sometimes read as 'green water'. It sits alongside Irving and Irwin as a transferred surname.
It was never common as a first name: a few dozen boys a year around its 1915 high point, lingering in scattered use across the century. It has always read as heritage-minded and slightly formal.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Irvine mean?
Irvine is a Scottish surname and place name, closely related to Irving.
How do you pronounce Irvine?
It's said UR-vin /ˈɜr.vɪn/ - two syllables, stress on the first.
Is Irvine a boy or girl name?
Irvine is used as a boy's name.
How popular is Irvine?
Irvine has always been uncommon, a Scottish surname-name used quietly through the twentieth century.