Kelvin () is a masculine given name, ultimately derived from the title of

William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin (26 June 182417 December 1907), was a British mathematician, Mathematical physics, mathematical physicist and engineer. Born in Belfast, he was the Professor of Natural Philosophy (Glasgow), professor of Natur ...

, who received a baronage named for the

River Kelvin The River Kelvin () is a tributary of the River Clyde in northern and northeastern Glasgow, Scotland. It rises on the moor south east of the village of Banton, Scotland, Banton, east of Kilsyth. At almost long, it initially flows south to D ...

(the river flowing past the

University of Glasgow The University of Glasgow (abbreviated as ''Glas.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals; ) is a Public university, public research university in Glasgow, Scotland. Founded by papal bull in , it is the List of oldest universities in continuous ...

) in 1892. Isolated use of "Kelvin" as a given name is recorded in England in the 1920s,''A Dictionary of First Names''.

Oxford University Press Oxford University Press (OUP) is the publishing house of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world. Its first book was printed in Oxford in 1478, with the Press officially granted the legal right to print books ...

(2007) s.v. "Kelvin". and the name rises in popularity in the United States around 1950, according to the authors of the

Oxford Dictionary of First Names ''A Dictionary of First Names'' is an onomastics, onomastic work of reference on given names, published by Oxford University Press, edited by Patrick Hanks, Kate Hardcastle, and Flavia Hodges in 1990 and 2006. The second edition of 2006 (as pape ...

possibly by association with the similar-sounding ''

Kevin Kevin is the anglicized form of the Irish masculine given name (; ; ; Latinized as ). It is composed of "dear; noble"; Old Irish and ("birth"; Old Irish ). The variant ''Kevan'' is anglicised from , an Irish diminutive form.''A Dictiona ...

'', which surged in popularity at about the same time, and maybe further influenced by ''

Calvin Calvin may refer to: Names * Calvin (given name) ** Particularly Calvin Coolidge, 30th President of the United States * Calvin (surname) ** Particularly John Calvin, theologian Places In the United States * Calvin, Arkansas, a hamlet * Calvin T ...

'' and ''

Melvin Melvin is a masculine given name and surname, likely a variant of Melville and a descendant of the French surname de Maleuin and the later Melwin. It may alternatively be spelled as Melvyn or, in Welsh, Melfyn and the name Melivinia or Melva may b ...

''. In the United States the name peaked in popularity at rank 209 in 1961 and has declined steadily since, dropping to rank 726 as of 2016.behindthename.com
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People with the given name

In arts and entertainment

Kelvin Fletcher Kelvin Warren Fletcher (born 17 January 1984) is an English actor, model, racing driver, presenter and farmer. He played Andy Sugden in the ITV soap opera ''Emmerdale'', a role he played from 1996 until 2016. In 2019, Fletcher won the sevent ...

, English actor *

Kelvin Gosnell Kelvin Gosnell is a British comics writer and editor. He was involved in the founding of the long-running comic '' 2000 AD'' in 1977, and was its second editor (1977–1978). He also edited '' Starlord'' (1978) and ''Tornado'' (1979). Biography ...

, British comics editor * Kelvin Harrison Jr., American actor *

Kelvin Holly Kelvin Lee Holly (born September 13, 1954, in Fort Dix, New Jersey, United States) is an American guitarist and musician. Background His musical career began in 1972 after graduating high school in Montgomery, Alabama. Holly is the longtime gui ...

, American guitarist *

Kelvin Kwan Kelvin Kwan Cho-yiu (born 24 March 1983) is a Canadian-born Hong Kong Cantopop singer signed to Go East, a subdivision of Universal Music. Family background Born into a wealthy family, Kwan was raised in Canada. His father is Hong Kong record ...

(born 1983), Canadian-born Hong Kong Cantopop singer *

Kelvin Mercer Kelvin Mercer (born August 17, 1969), also known by his stage name Posdnuos, Plug 1 and occasionally Pos, is an American rapper and record producer from East Massapequa, New York, best known for his work as one third of the hip hop trio De La S ...

, American DJ * Kelvin Sng, Singaporean film director * Kelvin Tan Wei Lian, Singaporean singer

In politics

* Kelvin Davis, New Zealand Member of Parliament *

Kelvin Goertzen Kelvin Goertzen (born June 12, 1969) is a Canadian politician who served as the 23rd premier of Manitoba from September to November, 2021. A member of the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba, he is a member of the Legislative Assembly o ...

, Canadian politician *

Kelvin Hopkins Kelvin Peter Hopkins (born 22 August 1941) is a British politician. He was first elected as the Labour Member of Parliament for Luton North in 1997. Hopkins was suspended by the Labour Party in 2017 after allegations of sexual misconduct wer ...

, British Labour MP *

Kelvin Ogilvie Kelvin Kenneth Ogilvie (November 6, 1942 - July 15, 2025) was a Canadian academic and politician. A former president of Acadia University in Wolfville, he was named to the Senate of Canada as a Conservative on August 27, 2009, ...

, Canadian chemist and senator *

Kelvin Thomson Kelvin John Thomson (born 1 May 1955) is a former Australian politician. He served as a member of the Australian House of Representatives for the Australian Labor Party, representing the Division of Wills in Victoria, from March 1996 until Ma ...

, Australian politician

In sports

Football (soccer)

* Kelvin Clarke, English former footballer * Kelvin Davis, English footballer *

Kelvin Etuhu Kelvin Peter Etuhu (born 30 May 1988) is a Nigerian former professional footballer. Etuhu has two older brothers, Dickson Etuhu, also a professional footballer, and Michael Etuhu. He played as a striker or as a winger. Club career Early care ...

, Nigerian footballer *

Kelvin Jack Kelvin Kyron Jack CM (born 29 April 1976) is a Trinidadian former professional football goalkeeper who is goalkeeping coach at Dover Athletic. He earned 33 caps for Trinidad and Tobago between 1997 and 2006, playing for his country in the 200 ...

, Trinidadian footballer *

Kelvin Langmead Kelvin Steven Langmead (born 23 March 1985) is an English former professional footballer. Career Preston North End Langmead began his career as a trainee at Preston North End joining in 2001. He spent a month on loan to Tamworth in the Footb ...

, English footballer * Kelvin Lomax, English footballer * Kelvin Mateus de Oliveira, Brazilian footballer *

Kelvin Wilson Kelvin James Wilson (born 3 September 1985) is an English professional footballer who plays as a centre back for Ilkeston Town. He started his career with Notts County, before moving to Preston North End in 2006. Nottingham Forest signed him ...

, English footballer

American football

Kelvin Anderson Kelvin Anderson (born February 4, 1972) is an American former professional football player. As a running back, he rushed for over 1,000 yards in eight consecutive seasons in the Canadian Football League (CFL), a league record. He won the CFL's Gr ...

, retired American football player * Kelvin Banks Jr. (born 2004), American football player *

Kelvin Benjamin Kelvin Benjamin (born February 5, 1991) is an American former professional American football, football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Florida State Seminoles football, Fl ...

, American football player *

Kelvin Bryant Kelvin Leroy Bryant (born September 26, 1960) is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) and the United States Football League (USFL). He played college football for the Nort ...

, American football player * Kelvin Harmon, American football player *

Kelvin Hayden Kelvin Darnell Hayden Jr. (born July 23, 1983) is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Illinois Fighting Illini and was selected by the Indi ...

, American football player * Kelvin Joseph (born 1999), American football player *

Kelvin Kinney Kelvin Lamonta Kinney (born December 31, 1972) is an American former professional football defensive lineman. His nickname is K2. Kinney was a defensive end in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins, who drafted him in the si ...

, American football player *

Kelvin Kirk Kelvin Kirk (December 31, 1953 – July 2, 2003) was an American professional football wide receiver and kick returner who played for seven seasons in the Canadian Football League (CFL). Kirk was also the first Mr. Irrelevant (a humorous award g ...

, American football player *

Kelvin Korver Kelvin Mitchell Korver (born February 21, 1949) is an American former professional football defensive tackle who played three seasons with the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Raiders in the second ro ...

, American football player * Kelvin Smith, American football player

Australian rules football

* Kelvin Matthews, former Australian rules footballer *

Kelvin Moore Kelvin David Moore (born 15 August 1950) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Hawthorn Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL). Moore was one of the best full-backs of his era and played in three Hawthorn p ...

, former Australian rules footballer * Kelvin W. Moore, former Australian rules footballer *

Kelvin Templeton Kelvin Templeton (born 30 September 1956) is a former Australian rules footballer. At sixteen years of age Templeton kicked 100 goals for Traralgon in the 1973 Latrobe Valley Football League season. Footscray, within whose country zone Trara ...

, former Australian rules footballer

Basketball

Kelvin Cato Kelvin Tavares Cato (born August 26, 1974) is an American former professional basketball player. A 6'11" center from the University of South Alabama and Iowa State University, Cato played in the NBA as a member of the Portland Trail Blazers, Hou ...

, American basketball player *

Kelvin dela Peña Kelvin Charles Chicote dela Peña (born January 19, 1984) is a Filipino-Canadian professional basketball athlete who played shooting guard for the Alaska Aces of the PBA, the San Miguel Beermen of the ASEAN Basketball League and Calgary Crush ...

, Filipino-Canadian basketball player *

Kelvin Ransey Kelvin Ransey (born May 3, 1958) is an American former professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA) in the 1980s. Ransey attended Toledo's Macomber High School in the mid-1970s. He was a four-year starter playing ...

, American basketball player *

Kelvin Sampson Kelvin Dale Sampson (born October 5, 1955) is an American college basketball coach, currently the head coach for the University of Houston of the Big 12 Conference. Early life Sampson was born in Laurinburg, North Carolina, to parents who were m ...

, American basketball coach * Kelvin Scarborough, American basketball player * Kelvin Upshaw, American basketball player

Other sports

Kelvin Batey Kelvin Batey (born 9 May 1981 from Market Warsop, Nottinghamshire) is a British born professional "Mid/Current School" Bicycle Motocross (BMX) racer who competed for Great Britain from the start of his career until 2008 and then for Ireland. ...

, English competitive BMX racer *

Kelvin Burt Kelvin Burt (born 7 September 1967 in Birmingham) is a British auto racing driver. After attending the Jim Russell Racing Drivers' School in 1987 he turned to Formula Ford racing, battling hard against David Coulthard for the championship. He wo ...

, British auto racing driver * Kelvin Davis, American boxer *

Kelvin Gastelum Kelvin Gastelum (born October 24, 1991) is an American professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Gastelum earned a contract with the UFC after winning '' The ...

, American mixed martial artist * Kelvin Graham (born 1964), Australian sprint canoeist * Kelvin Hoefler (born 1994), Brazilian professional street skateboarder * Kelvin Jiménez, Dominican baseball player *

Kelvin Kiptum Kelvin Kiptum Cheruiyot (2 December 1999 – 11 February 2024) was a Kenyan long-distance runner who currently holds the marathon world record. , he holds three of the seven fastest marathons in history, and was ranked first among the world's ...

, Kenyan long-distance runner * Kelvin Li (born 1975), Hong Kong freestyle swimmer

In other fields

Kelvin Droegemeier Kelvin Kay Droegemeier (born September 23, 1958) is an American research meteorologist, most recently having served as director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Droegemeier is known for his research in predicting the de ...

, American meteorologist and government advisor * Kelvin Holdsworth, Scottish clergyman * Kelvin Kent (disambiguation), multiple people *

Kelvin Lancaster Kelvin John Lancaster (10 December 1924 – 23 July 1999) was an Australian mathematical economist and John Bates Clark professor of economics at Columbia University. He is best known for the development of the Theory of the Second Best with R ...

, American academic *

Kelvin MacKenzie Kelvin Calder MacKenzie (born 22 October 1946) is an English News media, media executive and a former newspaper editor. He became editor of ''The Sun (United Kingdom), The Sun'' in 1981, by which time the publication had been established as Br ...

, British media executive *

Kelvin Malone Kelvin Shelby Malone (January 10, 1961 – January 13, 1999) was an American spree killer who murdered at least four people in March 1981. Convicted of three murders but suspected in five; he was sentenced to death in both California and Missouri ...

, American spree killer *

Kelvin Martin Kelvin Darnell Martin (July 24, 1964 – October 24, 1987), also known as 50 Cent, was an American criminal based in Fort Greene Brooklyn, New York. Martin is primarily known as the inspiration for the name of rapper 50 Cent. Biography Born in ...

, American criminal *

, Canadian chemist and senator

Fictional characters

Kelvin Carpenter Kelvin Carpenter is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Paul J. Medford from 12 March 1985 to 3 September 1987. Kelvin is a bright spark and full of initiative. He opens several businesses in Albert Square a ...

, fictional character in the television show ''EastEnders'' * Kelvin Gemstone, fictional character in the television show ''The Righteous Gemstones'' * Kelvin Joe Inman, secondary character on the ABC television drama ''Lost''

References

{{given name, Kelvin Scottish masculine given names English masculine given names Masculine given names