Kevin is the English form of the Irish Caoimhín, from caomh, meaning "handsome" or "gentle", and gin, birth, so it is usually read as "handsome birth". Saint Kevin founded the monastery of Glendalough in the 6th century, and the name left Ireland for America in the 20th. Kevin was number 32 among US boys' names in 2000 and stayed in the top 100 until 2016; it ranks number 221 in 2025 and remains especially popular with Hispanic families.