Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1920

Irvine

Meaning green, fresh Gender Boy · 1% girls Rank 2025 Below top lists

Probably from Celtic words cognate with Welsh ir, yr (“green, fresh”) + afon (“water”).

Rank 2025
–
among boys
Babies in 2025
<5
named Irvine
How common
–
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1920
31 babies
All-time total
904
#5,509 all-time among boys
First recorded
1883
in Social Security records

Irvine popularity over time

904 babies have been named Irvine since 1883, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.030.050.080.118801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
BoysGirls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – 11 11 1 – #842
1890s – 16 16 2 +45% #943
1900s – 27 27 3 +69% #816
1910s – 172 172 17 +537% #1,144
1920s 5 212 217 22 +26% #1,356
1930s – 131 131 13 -40% #1,754
1940s – 116 116 12 -11% #1,792
1950s – 73 73 7 -37% #2,187
1960s – 26 26 3 -64% #2,988
1970s – – – – – –
1980s – 30 30 3 – #4,569
1990s – 61 61 6 +103% #4,594
2000s – 24 24 2 -61% #8,544
2010s – – – – – –
2020s (to 2025) – – – – – –

The story of Irvine

Irvine is not currently in use for newborns in the United States: fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.

Since 1883, 904 American babies have been named Irvine. Its peak came in 1920, when 31 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1920s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Irvine stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Irvine?

The median living Irvine is about 66 years old; half are between 34 and 78. An estimated 300 people named Irvine are alive in the United States today.

median 66 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Irvine year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls rank Boys Boys rank
2025 – – – –
2024 – – – –
2023 – – – –
2022 – – – –
2021 – – – –
2020 – – – –
2019 – – – –
2018 – – – –
2017 – – – –
2016 – – – –
2015 – – – –
2014 – – – –
2013 – – – –
2012 – – – –
2011 – – – –
2010 – – – –
2009 – – – –
2008 – – – –
2007 – – – –
2006 – – 6 #11,174
2005 – – – –
2004 – – – –
2003 – – 5 #11,557
2002 – – – –
2001 – – 6 #9,733
2000 – – 7 #8,544
1995 – – 5 #9,404
1990 – – 6 #7,521
1985 – – – –
1980 – – – –
1975 – – – –
1970 – – – –
1965 – – – –
1960 – – 6 #3,828
1955 – – 8 #3,078
1950 – – 5 #3,921
1945 – – 9 #2,481
1940 – – 13 #2,029
1935 – – 11 #2,322
1930 – – 8 #3,146
1925 – – 9 #3,025
1920 5 #5,319 26 #1,478
1915 – – 30 #1,197
1910 – – 5 #1,713
1905 – – 10 #816
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – 6 #943
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Famous people named Irvine

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Irvine Welsh Irvine Welsh Scottish novelist (born 1958) b. 1957 · Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Irvine, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Irvine?

The median living Irvine is about 66 years old. Half of all living Irvines are between 34 and 78 years old.

How many people named Irvine are alive today?

An estimated 300 people named Irvine are alive in the United States, based on 904 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Irvine mean?

Probably from Celtic words cognate with Welsh ir, yr (“green, fresh”) + afon (“water”).

How popular is the name Irvine in 2025?

Irvine did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.

How many people are named Irvine?

904 babies have been named Irvine in the United States since 1883, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Irvine most popular?

Irvine peaked in 1920, when 31 newborns received the name.

Is Irvine a boy or girl name?

Irvine is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 99% of babies with the name.

Is the name Irvine rising or falling?

Irvine has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Who are famous people named Irvine?

Well-known people named Irvine include Irvine Welsh (writer).

Names like Irvine

Names that sound and feel close to Irvine: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Irvine with similar names → More names starting with I →