UK boy's name
Cavan
Irish masculine name of Celtic derivation meaning "winding river or path".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Cavan is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Cavan popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2921, with 7 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1998, with 55 births.
This profile covers 632 England and Wales registrations across 28 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 13% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 656 living people in the UK are called Cavan. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Cavan ranked #2921 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 7 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1998, when 55 boys were registered as Cavan.
- • Cavan ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #707 in 2016.
- • About 656 living people in the UK are estimated to have Cavan as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#2921
2024
Births in 2024
7
Latest year
Peak year
1998
55 births
Estimated living
656
2026
Meaning
What does Cavan mean?
The name Cavan is an anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic name "Cabhán" which means "hollow" or "cavern". The name has its origins in the ancient Gaelic language spoken in Ireland, which dates back to the 4th century AD. It is believed to have been derived from the Old Irish word "cúan" meaning "harbor" or "bay".
The name Cavan is closely associated with County Cavan in Ireland, which takes its name from the Irish "Cabhán" meaning "the hollow". This area in the northern part of the country is known for its many lakes and drumlins, which are small hills formed during the last ice age. The name Cavan likely refers to the hollows or depressions in the landscape of this region.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Cavan dates back to the 7th century AD, when it was used to refer to a local saint and bishop known as St. Cavan or St. Cavan of Leinster. He is believed to have lived in the area that is now County Cavan and is the patron saint of the town of Cavan.
In medieval times, the name Cavan was also used as a surname, particularly in County Cavan and surrounding areas. One notable historical figure with this name was Cavan O'Reilly, an Irish chieftain and lord of Cavan who lived in the 16th century.
Another famous bearer of the name Cavan was the Irish writer and poet Austin Clarke, whose full name was Austin Norman Cavan Clarke (1896-1974). He was born in Dublin and is considered one of the leading literary figures of the Irish literary renaissance.
In the realm of sports, the name Cavan is associated with Cavan Biggio, a professional baseball player for the Toronto Blue Jays. He was born in 1995 and is the son of former Major League Baseball player Craig Biggio.
Additionally, Cavan Grogan was an Irish actor and singer who appeared in several films and television shows in the 1960s and 1970s. He was born in 1942 and passed away in 1999.
Overall, the name Cavan has a rich history and cultural significance, rooted in the ancient Gaelic language and landscape of Ireland. It has been borne by saints, writers, actors, and athletes throughout history, reflecting its enduring appeal and connection to Irish heritage.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Cavan over time
The chart below shows babies named Cavan registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Cavan, the clearest high point is 1998. The latest England and Wales figure is 7 births in 2024, compared with 55 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Cavan by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Cavan was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #3093 | 34 | 5 |
| 2010s | #1998 | 103 | 9 |
| 2000s | #751 | 333 | 10 |
| 1990s | #551 | 162 | 4 |
Geography
Where Cavan is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Cavan. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Cavan ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #707 in 2016.
Across the UK
Cavan in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#707 in 2016
8 years of NRS records, 30 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Cavan
-
Cavan Scott
comics writer; science fiction writer; editing staff; writer
British comics writer and author
1973-
Related
Names similar to Cavan
- Charlie 104,761
- Callum 65,796
- Connor 53,072
- Cameron 40,394
- Charles 33,091
- Christopher 26,849
- Caleb 15,553
- Corey 12,622
- Carter 11,505
- Cody 11,075
- Conor 10,298
- Christian 9,695
FAQ
Cavan: questions and answers
How popular is the name Cavan in the UK right now?
In 2024, Cavan was ranked #2921 for boys in England and Wales, with 7 births registered.
When was Cavan most popular?
The peak year on record was 1998, with 55 babies registered as Cavan in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Cavan?
Irish masculine name of Celtic derivation meaning "winding river or path".
How many people are called Cavan in the UK?
A total of 632 babies have been registered as Cavan across the 28 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 30 more in Scotland.
Where is Cavan most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Cavan ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #707 in 2016. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.