Gavin
Male nameWelsh
✨ Meaning
Gavin is the Scottish form of Gawain, the Arthurian knight whose name is usually traced to the Welsh Gwalchmai, from 'gwalch,' meaning hawk, and a second element read as May or plain. The common gloss is therefore 'hawk of May,' though specialists caution that the derivation is not certain. Either way the name belongs to one of the oldest surviving layers of British legend.
🌍 Origin
Gawain is the hero of the fourteenth-century poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, one of the finest works of Middle English literature. The Scottish form Gavin was in regular use by the late medieval period and became widely popular across Britain, Australia and North America in the second half of the twentieth century.
📈 Popularity Trend
⭐ Famous People Named Gavin
- Gavin Newsom
- Gavin Rossdale
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What does Gavin mean?
Gavin is usually read as 'hawk of May,' from the Welsh Gwalchmai, though the derivation is not fully certain.
Is Gavin the same as Gawain?
Yes. Gavin is the Scottish development of the Arthurian name Gawain.
Is Gavin a Scottish or Welsh name?
The root is Welsh, but the form Gavin developed in Scotland and is generally regarded as a Scottish name.