Pronunciation
Kev-in
Meaning
Handsome birth or gentle birth
Related forms: Caoimhín (related irish form).
Alternate spellings
Caoimhín
Fun fact
Kevin is the Anglicised form of Caoimhín. Saint Kevin founded the monastery at Glendalough in Co Wicklow. So behind this familiar spelling is a connection with one of Ireland's best-known monastic sites.
Popularity in Ireland
Figures for the spelling Kevin, Republic of Ireland.
The CSO only publishes names given to three or more babies in a year. “Less than 3” means zero, one or two babies, and these years appear as gaps on the graph.
Number of babies registered each year
From 2018, spellings with and without fadas are counted separately. Earlier figures group these spellings together, so the graph has a break at 2018.
View yearly figures
| Year | Babies named | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 39 | #139 |
| 2024 | 29 | #174 |
| 2023 | 41 | #138 |
| 2022 | 48 | #127 |
| 2021 | 48 | #131 |
| 2020 | 53 | #116 |
| 2019 | 67 | #100 |
| 2018 | 69 | #96 |
| 2017 | 78 | #92 |
| 2016 | 87 | #81 |
| 2015 | 86 | #87 |
| 2014 | 98 | #82 |
| 2013 | 108 | #73 |
| 2012 | 112 | #70 |
| 2011 | 143 | #58 |
| 2010 | 120 | #67 |
| 2009 | 175 | #51 |
| 2008 | 152 | #59 |
| 2007 | 179 | #44 |
| 2006 | 159 | #48 |
| 2005 | 152 | #47 |
| 2004 | 166 | #44 |
| 2003 | 180 | #38 |
| 2002 | 214 | #32 |
| 2001 | 220 | #36 |
| 2000 | 264 | #25 |
| 1999 | 211 | #33 |
| 1998 | 233 | #25 |
| 1997 | 357 | #21 |
| 1996 | 362 | #20 |
| 1995 | 430 | #15 |
| 1994 | 454 | #12 |
| 1993 | 491 | #11 |
| 1992 | 479 | #14 |
| 1991 | 535 | #12 |
| 1990 | 571 | #12 |
| 1989 | 498 | #13 |
| 1988 | 555 | #12 |
| 1987 | 583 | #11 |
| 1986 | 639 | #12 |
| 1985 | 577 | #13 |
| 1984 | 630 | #12 |
| 1983 | 637 | #13 |
| 1982 | 596 | #13 |
| 1981 | 590 | #13 |
| 1980 | 568 | #13 |
| 1979 | 529 | #13 |
| 1978 | 496 | #14 |
| 1977 | 522 | #14 |
| 1976 | 474 | #16 |
| 1975 | 465 | #16 |
| 1974 | 523 | #15 |
| 1973 | 471 | #17 |
| 1972 | 462 | #19 |
| 1971 | 519 | #18 |
| 1970 | 449 | #18 |
| 1969 | 473 | #17 |
| 1968 | 476 | #17 |
| 1967 | 379 | #18 |
| 1966 | 449 | #15 |
| 1965 | 469 | #15 |
| 1964 | 452 | #15 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies’ Names, tables VSA50 and VSA60. Latest year: 2025.
