Irvin

Part of speech: noun, proper noun

Definitions

1. A male given name of Celtic origin often associated with bravery and green water or sea
2. A personal name derived from Scottish and Irish roots, commonly used as a first name for boys and sometimes a surname
3. A proper noun identifying individuals, typically of Gaelic heritage, frequently encountered in English-speaking countries as a first or last name

Etymology: Irvin is a surname and given name whose origins lie in a Scottish place name rather than in a personal name. The river Irvine in Ayrshire, on Scotland's west coast, gave its name to the town of Irvine and to the powerful Irvine family, who took their surname from the place. The river name is generally thought to come from Brittonic roots meaning something like "green" or "fresh water," though the exact sense is uncertain, and the Gaelic connection is a later overlay rather than the true source. The name then spread in two directions. Scottish settlers carried the surname to Ireland, Northern Ireland and North America, where it became established by the eighteenth century, and it was often spelled "Irvin" or "Irwin" interchangeably. Several of these spellings persisted as separate family names, which is why Irwin, Irvine and Irvin can all trace back to the same Ayrshire origin. In the United States the form "Irvin" became a common given name, sometimes after relatives who bore the surname.