Gavin is the medieval form of Gawain, the name of King Arthur's loyal nephew in the Round Table legends, and is of uncertain Welsh origin, usually explained as "white hawk" or "hawk of the plain". Long a Scottish favorite, it surged in America in the 2000s. Gavin ranked 85th in 2000, peaked at number 30 in 2008 and has fallen steadily since, from 70 in 2015 to 303rd place in 2025.