Name Detail
Gavin is a Celtic male given name. It is the Scottish variation of the medieval Welsh name Gawain, meaning 'God send' or 'white hawk/falcon'. Sir Gawain is a knight of King Arthur's Round Table. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is an epic poem in which he beheads the Green Knight, who promptly replaces his head and threatens Gawain an identical fate the same time next year. Decapitation figures elsewhere: the Italian name Gavino is the name of an early Christian martyr who was beheaded in 300 AD, his head being thrown in the Mediterranean Sea, later recovered and interred with his body.
God send
A boy name with 2 syllables. Currently considered rare.
Explore how the popularity of Gavin has changed over the last two decades.
Gavin is a name of Celtic origin, believed to be derived from the Welsh name Gofannon, meaning "God send" or "white hawk". It gained popularity in the 20th century, particularly in English-speaking countries, and is often associated with strength and a divine blessing.
Gavin Rossdale, Gavin Newsom, Gavin James, Gavin MacLeod, Gavin Williamson
Gav, Gavan, Gavi
Deep dive into history & etymology
