Total births
2,424
Boys' name · since 1894
Garvin
Garvin has 2,424 recorded births since 1894 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1921 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #10981
- among boys today
- 2,424
- born since 1894
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 23%
- more common than other boys
2,424 babies have been named Garvin since 1894, making it today's #10981 boys' name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Garvin has been recorded 2,424 times among boys since 1894, currently ranked #10981 nationally and more common than 23% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 1920s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1894 to 2024.
- #10981 among boys today
- 2,424 born since 1894
- 1920s peak decade
- 23% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Garvin is currently the #10981 boys' name in America, more common than 23% of boys - 2,424 born since 1894, peaking in the 1920s.
- #10981
- among boys today
- 2,424
- born since 1894
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 23%
- more common than other boys
Garvin vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#10981
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 23% of names given to boys today.
1920s
Peak decade
15% of everyone ever named Garvin was born in this single decade.
1921
Single peak year
52 babies were named Garvin in 1921 - its busiest year on record.
How Garvin compares
2,424 Top 19% higher than 81% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Garvin's all-time total is 7x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Garvin | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 2,424 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 52 | 23 | 22,252 |
Garvin's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Garvin's SSA record in two at 1963 and the more recent half accounts for 35% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 65%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1894, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1921 peak of 52, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Garvin at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1921
Current rank
#10,981
Active since
1894
Garvin popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1894–2024
- Peak year (1921)
- 52
- Annual births at peak, across 131 years of records
Garvin by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Garvin's strongest decade.
364 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 15% of all-time use.
Garvin births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1890s 5
1890s
5 births
- 1900s 27
1900s
27 births
- 1910s
1910s
241 births
- 1920s
1920s
364 births
- 1930s
1930s
283 births
- 1940s
1940s
293 births
- 1950s
1950s
264 births
- 1960s
1960s
240 births
- 1970s 144
1970s
144 births
- 1980s
1980s
150 births
- 1990s
1990s
150 births
- 2000s 140
2000s
140 births
- 2010s 112
2010s
112 births
- 2020s 11
2020s
11 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 364 births (15% of all-time use).
How Garvin compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Garvin's total volume
Garvin vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Garvin by state
Where Garvin concentrates geographically, total births since 1894
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Oklahoma | | 55 | 2.3% |
| #2 | Texas | | 53 | 2.2% |
| #3 | New York | | 35 | 1.4% |
| #4 | South Carolina | | 26 | 1.1% |
| #5 | Mississippi | | 17 | 0.7% |
| #6 | Tennessee | | 12 | 0.5% |
| #7 | Alabama | | 10 | 0.4% |
| #8 | California | | 10 | 0.4% |
Oklahoma share of Garvin's total US births 2.3%
Even split
55 of 2,424 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 11 reporting states.
Garvin appears in 11 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Garvin? ▼
Since 1894, Social Security records show 2,424 babies named Garvin. Today it holds rank #10981 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 1921, with 52 births.
When was Garvin most popular? ▼
Garvin was most popular in the 1920s decade with 364 total births. The single peak year was 1921.
Where is Garvin most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Garvin are Oklahoma (55 births), Texas (53 births), New York (35 births).
How long has the name Garvin been used? ▼
Records for Garvin go back to 1894, giving 131 years of history through 2024.
What names are similar to Garvin? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Gary, Garrett, Garry, Garland, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Garvin's data
- Garvin's decade-level peak was the 1920s (364 total births); usage has since declined to 11 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Oklahoma records the most Garvins (55 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Oklahoma names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Garvin
Nearby Names Like Garvin
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Garvin
Gary Boy
#1133 902,152 births
Garrett Boy
#560 135,762 births
Garry Boy
#5071 47,670 births
Garland Boy
#5659 23,857 births
Garret Boy
#6480 13,247 births
Compare Garvin side by side: Garvin vs Gary Garvin vs Garrett Garvin vs Garry
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Garvin
Reynold #10980
4,672 births · Peak 1922
Ezell #10982
3,243 births · Peak 1951
Narciso #10979
2,078 births · Peak 1990
Carnell #10983
4,618 births · Peak 1958
Winton #10978
1,940 births · Peak 1920
Vinson #10984
3,841 births · Peak 1969
Encarnacion #10977
851 births · Peak 1923
Evelyn #10985
1,906 births · Peak 1930
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1894–2024 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Garvin: #10981 Boys' Name - 2,424 Births, Peak 1921." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/garvin. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Garvin draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.