Bruno Liljefors - Song Thrush at nest 1888

Mavis is a feminine given name, derived from a name for the common Old World song thrush. Its first modern usage was in

Marie Corelli Mary Mackay (1 May 185521 April 1924), also called Minnie Mackey and known by her pseudonym Marie Corelli (, also , ), was an English novelist. From the appearance of her first novel '' A Romance of Two Worlds'' in 1886, she became a bestselli ...

's 1895 novel ''

The Sorrows of Satan ''The Sorrows of Satan'' is an 1895 Faustian novel by Marie Corelli. It is widely regarded as one of the world's first best-sellers – partly due to an upheaval in the system British libraries used to purchase their books, and partly due to it ...

'', which featured a character named Mavis Clare (whose name was said to be "rather odd but suitable", as "she sings quite as sweetly as any thrush"). The name was long obsolete by the 19th century, but known from its poetic use, as in

Robert Burns Robert Burns (25 January 1759 – 21 July 1796), also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the List of national poets, national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the be ...

's 1794 poem ''Ca' the Yowes'' ("Hark the mavis evening sang/Sounding Clouden's woods amang"); and in the popular love song "Mary of Argyle" (c.1850), where lyricist Charles Jefferys wrote, "I have heard the mavis singing its love-song to the morn." ''Mavis'' was among the top 100 names for newborn girls in New Zealand between 1900 and 1943 and among the top 100 names for newborn girls in the United Kingdom between 1924 and 1944. It first appeared among the 1,000 most popular names for newborn girls in the United States in 1895. It was at peak use for American girls between 1920 and 1938, when it was among the top 300 names given to newborn girls. Its usage declined thereafter in the

Anglosphere The Anglosphere, also known as the Anglo-American world, is a Western-led sphere of influence among the Anglophone countries. The core group of this sphere of influence comprises five developed countries that maintain close social, cultura ...

, but usage in the United States has since increased in recent years. Mavis has again been among the top 1,000 names for newborn girls in the United States since 2016. Mavis Dracula is Dracula's teenage daughter in the popular ''

Hotel Transylvania ''Hotel Transylvania'' is an American media franchise created by Todd Durham and owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment. It consists of four animated feature films, three short films, an animated television series, and several video games. The ...

'' franchise, which debuted in 2012 and has had sequels in 2015, 2018, and 2022.

Notable people

* Mavis Adjei, Ghanaian actress * Mavis Akoto, Ghanaian sprinter *

Mavis Batey Mavis Lilian Batey, MBE (née Lever; 5 May 1921 – 12 November 2013), was a British code-breaker during World War II. She was one of the leading female codebreakers at Bletchley Park. She later became a historian of gardening, who campaign ...

, MBE (1921-2013), English code-breaker during World War II *

Mavis Biesanz Mavis Hiltunen Biesanz (July 27, 1919 Vermilion Lake Township, MinnesotaThe Tico Times, March 7, 2008, page W3 – February 21, 2008 Escazú, Costa Rica) was a Finnish-American writer and sociologist. Many of her books were about Central American ...

(1919–2008), Finnish-American writer and sociologist * Mavis B. Carroll (1917–2009), American statistician *

Mavis Cheek Mavis Mary Cheek (née Wilson, 25 February 1948 – 14 June 2023) was an English novelist. She was the author of fifteen novels, several of which have been translated into other languages. Cheeks' debut novel ''Pause Between Acts'' won the 1988 S ...

(1948–2023), English novelist and feminist * Mavis Chirandu (b. 1995), Zimbabwean footballer *

Mavis Thorpe Clark Mavis Thorpe Clark AM (26 June 1909 – 8 July 1999) was an Australian novelist and writer for children who was born in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Victoria, commonly abbreviated as Vic, is a state in southeastern Australia. It is the ...

, AM (1909-1999), Australian novelist and children's writer *

Mavis Danso Mavis Danso (born 24 March 1984) is a Ghanaian women's international footballer who plays as a defender. She is a member of the Ghana women's national football team. She was part of the team at the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup and 2007 FIFA Wom ...

(b. 1984), Ghanaian footballer *

Mavis Doering Mavis Doering (1929 – 2007) was a Cherokee Nation basketmaker from Oklahoma. Early life Doering was born in Hominy, Oklahoma and was the third generation of a family of basketmakers. She was mostly self-taught. Beginning in the 1970s, she re ...

(1929–2007),

Cherokee Nation The Cherokee Nation ( or ) is the largest of three list of federally recognized tribes, federally recognized tribes of Cherokees in the United States. It includes people descended from members of the Cherokee Nation (1794–1907), Old Cheroke ...

basketmaker from Oklahoma *

Mavis Dgajmah Mavis Dgajmah (born 21 December 1973) is a Ghanaian women's international footballer who plays as a forward. She was a member of the Ghana women's national football team. She was part of the team at the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup and at the 200 ...

(b. 1973), Ghanaian footballer *

Mavis Ehlert Una Mavis Ehlert (30 January 1922 – 14 December 2007) was a British-Canadian sculptor. Early life and education Ehlert was born in Bristol, England. Her brother, John Sander, a painter, introduced her to the art world. Ehlert specialized in com ...

(1922–2007), British-Canadian sculptor *

Mavis Fan Mavis Fan (; born 27 February 1977) is a Taiwanese singer and actress. Life and career Fan began her singing career in the mid 90s as a pop idol, singing songs catered mostly towards children and young teenagers. Fan was raised only by her mot ...

(b. 1977), Taiwanese singer *

Mavis Freeman Mavis Anne Freeman (November 7, 1918 – October 1988) was an American competition swimmer who competed for the Women's Swimming Association of New York and represented the United States in the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany. Early s ...

(1918–1988), American swimmer who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics *

Mavis Gallant Mavis Leslie de Trafford Gallant, ( Young; 11 August 1922 – 18 February 2014), was a Canadian writer who spent much of her life and career in France. Best known as a short story writer, she also published novels, plays and essays. Person ...

(1922–2014), Canadian writer * Mavis Gibson, Zimbabwean lawyer, first black woman judge of the High Court of Zimbabwe, and first woman judge of the High Court of Namibia * Mavis Gray née Beckett (b. 1944), Australian field hockey player * Mavis Doriel Hay (1894–1979), British author *

Mavis Hee Mavis Hee Pee Hong (born 27 September 1974) is a Singaporean singer, songwriter and actress. She was the second runner-up and also Miss Photogenic and Miss Amity in Singapore's Miss Chinatown Pageant 1992. Career In 1994, songwriter and prod ...

(b. 1974), Singaporean singer * Mavis Hinds (1929–2009), English meteorologist * Mavis Hutchinson (1924-2022), first woman to run across the United States * Mavis Jones (1922–1990), Australian cricket player * Mavis Jukes (b. 1947), American children's author * Mavis Kelsey (1912–2013), American internist and one of the founders of the Kelsey-Seybold Clinic * Mavis Hawa Koomson (b. 1966), Ghanaian politician and educationist * Mavis Le Marquand,

Jersey Jersey ( ; ), officially the Bailiwick of Jersey, is an autonomous and self-governing island territory of the British Islands. Although as a British Crown Dependency it is not a sovereign state, it has its own distinguishing civil and gov ...

lawn bowler * Mavis Leno (b. 1946), American feminist and wife of

Jay Leno James Douglas Muir Leno ( ; born April 28, 1950) is an American television host, comedian, and writer. After doing stand-up comedy for years, he became the host of NBC's ''The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Tonight Show'' from 1992 until 200 ...

* Mavis Maclean, MBE,

FRSA The Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, commonly known as the Royal Society of Arts (RSA), is a learned society that champions innovation and progress across a multitude of sectors by fostering creativity, s ...

(b. 1943), socio-legal researcher at the

University of Oxford The University of Oxford is a collegiate university, collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the List of oldest un ...

and founder of the Oxford Centre for Family Law and Policy (OXFLAP) * Mavis Meadowcroft (1926–2008), Australian lawn bowler * Mavis Moyo (b. 1929), Radio Zimbabwe broadcaster and founding member of the Federation of African Media Women Zimbabwe (FAMWZ) * Mavis Mullins, New Zealand businesswoman * Mavis Nicholson (1930–2022), Welsh broadcaster * Mavis Ogun (b. 1973), Nigerian footballer who played in three

FIFA Women's World Cup The FIFA Women's World Cup is an international association football competition contested by the senior list of women's national association football teams, women's national teams of the members of the FIFA, Fédération Internationale de Footb ...

s * Mavis Pugh (1914–2006), English actress and comedian * Mavis Rivers (1929–1992), Samoan and New Zealand jazz singer * Mavis Smitheman, local body councillor for Ardwick, Manchester * Mavis Staines (b. 1954), Canadian ballet dancer *

Mavis Staples Mavis Staples (born July 10, 1939) is an American rhythm and blues and gospel music, gospel singer and civil rights activism, activist. She rose to fame as a member of her family's band The Staple Singers, of which she is the last surviving memb ...

(b. 1939), American rhythm and blues singer * Mavis Steele MBE (1928–1998), British lawn bowler * Mavis Sweeney (1909–1986), Australian hospital pharmacist who was awarded The Evans Medal for Merit in 1968 * Mavis Taillieu (b. 1952), Canadian politician * Mavis Tate (1893–1947), British Conservative Party politician and feminist, born Maybird Hogg * Mavis Taylor (1915–2007), Australian humanitarian * Mavis Tchibota (b. 1996), Congolese footballer * Mavis Villiers (1911–1976), British actress * Mavis Wilson (

fl. ''Floruit'' ( ; usually abbreviated fl. or occasionally flor.; from Latin for 'flourished') denotes a date or period during which a person was known to have been alive or active. In English, the unabbreviated word may also be used as a noun indic ...

1980–90s), Canadian politician

Fictional characters

* Mavis Anderson, secondary character and best friend to

Miss Ellie Ewing Eleanor "Miss Ellie" Ewing Farlow (maiden name Southworth) is a fictional character from the primetime CBS television series ''Dallas'', a long-running serial centered on the lives of the wealthy Ewing family of Dallas, Texas. Created by writer ...

(

Barbara Bel Geddes Barbara Bel Geddes (October 31, 1922 – August 8, 2005) was an American stage and screen Actor, actress, artist, and children's author whose career spanned almost 5 decades. She was best known for her starring role as Miss Ellie Ewing in th ...

) in ''

Dallas Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...

'' * Mavis Beacon, the eponymous African-American typing instructor of the Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing software * Mavis Bramston, from ''

The Mavis Bramston Show ''The Mavis Bramston Show'' is an Australian television satirical sketch comedy revue series that aired on the Seven Network from 1964 to 1968. Mavis was created, written, and co-produced by Carol Raye, who also starred in it and was inspired by ...

'' (1964–1968), an Australian television satire * Mavis Buckey, an anthropomorphic animal character from the ''

Funny Farm A psychiatric hospital, also known as a mental health hospital, a behavioral health hospital, or an asylum is a specialized medical facility that focuses on the treatment of severe mental disorders. These institutions cater to patients with c ...

'' series * Mavis Clare, a popular author who resists the temptation of the Devil in ''

'' by

* Mavis Cruet, an obese young

fairy A fairy (also called fay, fae, fae folk, fey, fair folk, or faerie) is a type of mythical being or legendary creature, generally described as anthropomorphism, anthropomorphic, found in the folklore of multiple European cultures (including Cel ...

incapable of flight, from the British children's animated series '' Willo the Wisp'' * Mavis Davis, a pseudonymous singer in the British comedy '' Bring Me the Head of Mavis Davis'' * Mavis DeVere, one version of the actual name of

Bubbles DeVere This is a list of characters for the British television and radio sketch show ''Little Britain (TV series), Little Britain'' (and its American spin-off, ''Little Britain USA''). Overview ;Key : Characters that appear for only one sketch are n ...

, a character in the BBC comedy series '' Little Britain'' * Mavis Dracula, a 118-year-old vampire and the daughter of

Count Dracula Count Dracula () is the title character of Bram Stoker's 1897 gothic horror novel ''Dracula''. He is considered the prototypical and archetypal vampire in subsequent works of fiction. Aspects of the character are believed by some to have been i ...

in the ''

'' movie franchise * Mavis Freestone, a singer in the ''...

in Death The ''...in Death'' series of novels and novellas is written by Nora Roberts under her pseudonym J. D. Robb. Set in a mid-21st-century New York City, they feature NYPSD ("New York City Police and Security Department") lieutenant Eve Dallas and h ...

'' series of detective novels * Mavis Gary, the main character of ''

Young Adult In medicine and the social sciences, a young adult is generally a person in the years following adolescence, sometimes with some overlap. Definitions and opinions on what qualifies as a young adult vary, with works such as Erik Erikson's stages ...

'' * Mavis Madling, in the situation comedy series ''

Designing Women ''Designing Women'' is an American television sitcom created by Linda Bloodworth-Thomason that aired on CBS between September 29, 1986 and May 24, 1993, producing seven seasons and 163 episodes. It was a joint production of Bloodworth/Thomas ...

'' * Mavis McCready, a recurring character in the television series '' Greenleaf'', portrayed by Oprah Winfrey * Mavis Ming, title character of

Michael Moorcock Michael John Moorcock (born 18 December 1939) is an English writer, particularly of science fiction and fantasy, who has published a number of well-received literary novels as well as comic thrillers, graphic novels and non-fiction. He has wo ...

's '' The Transformation of Miss Mavis Ming'', part of his '' Dancers at the End of Time'' series * Mavis Munro, office manager in the comic book series '' Supernatural Law'' and ''Supernatural Law Secretary Mavis'' * Mavis, a minor character in The Addy Book Series from ''

American Girl American Girl is an American line of dolls released on May 5, 1986, by Pleasant Company. The dolls portray eight- to fourteen-year-old girls of various ethnicities, faiths, nationalities, and social classes throughout different time periods ...

'' * Mavis, a thirteen year old girl with the powers of the birds of the world in the children's book series Mavis A Genuine Heroine * Mavis Pike, in the British situation comedy ''

Dad's Army ''Dad's Army'' is a British television British sitcom, sitcom about the United Kingdom's Home Guard (United Kingdom), Home Guard during the World War II, Second World War. It was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft (TV producer), David Crof ...

'' * Mavis Rae, main character in the situation comedy '' Whoopi'' * Mavis Vermillion, founder and first master of the same-named guild in manga and anime ''

Fairy Tail ''Fairy Tail'' (stylized in all caps) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hiro Mashima. It was serialized in Kodansha's ''Weekly Shōnen Magazine'' from August 2006 to July 2017, with the individual chapters collect ...

'' * Mavis Wilton, in the British soap opera ''

Coronation Street ''Coronation Street'' (colloquially referred to as ''Corrie'') is a British television soap opera created by ITV Granada, Granada Television and shown on ITV (TV network), ITV since 9 December 1960. The programme centres on a cobbled, terraced ...

'' * Dark Mavis, recurring character in English rock band

Mansun Mansun were an English alternative rock band, formed in Chester in 1995. The band comprised vocalist/rhythm guitarist Paul Draper (musician), Paul Draper, bassist Stove King, lead guitarist/backing vocalist Dominic Chad, and drummer Andie Rath ...

's debut album '' Attack of the Grey Lantern'' * Mavis (DC Comics), two fictional characters who first appeared in the DC Comics universe * Mavis, from the BBC comedy ''

Open All Hours ''Open All Hours'' is a British television sitcom created and written by Roy Clarke for the BBC. It ran for 26 episodes over four series, which aired in 1976, 1981, 1982, and 1985. The programme was developed from a television pilot broadcast ...

'' * Mavis, a diesel locomotive character from ''

The Railway Series ''The Railway Series'' is a series of British books about a railway known as the North Western Railway, located on the fictional Sodor (fictional island), Island of Sodor. There are 42 books in the series, the first published in May 1945 by Wi ...

'' books by the Rev. W. Awdry and from the derived children's television series ''

Thomas & Friends ''Thomas & Friends'' is a British children's television series which aired from 9 October 1984 to 20 January 2021. Based on ''The Railway Series'' books by Wilbert Awdry and his son Christopher Awdry, Christopher, the series was developed for ...

Other uses

Kawanishi H6K The Kawanishi H6K was an Imperial Japanese Navy flying boat produced by the Kawanishi Aircraft Company and used during World War II for maritime patrol duties. The Allied reporting name for the type was Mavis; the Navy designation was . Develo ...

, Japanese WWII flying boat, codenamed "Mavis"

References

{{given name, cat=English feminine given names Given names derived from animals Given names derived from birds Feminine given names