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The short answer
Harvey is a masculine name used in English. Behind the Name describes it this way: "From the Breton given name Hoiarnviu or Haerviu, derived from Old Breton hoiarn ‘iron’ or air ‘battle’ combined with viu ‘eager, keen, fiery, blazing’. This was the name of a 6th-century Breton hermit who is the patron saint of the blind." It ranked #251 for boys in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, from the Breton given name Hoiarnviu or Haerviu, derived from Old Breton hoiarn ‘iron’ or air ‘battle’ combined with viu ‘eager, keen, fiery, blazing’. This was the name of a 6th-century Breton hermit who is the patron saint of the blind. The entry lists its usage as English.
Editorial confidence: likely
Popularity
Harvey ranked #251 for boys in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #251 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (English) and that sit near Harvey in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Harvey mean?
Behind the Name does not give Harvey a one-word meaning. It describes the name as follows: from the Breton given name Hoiarnviu or Haerviu.
Is Harvey a popular name?
Harvey ranked #251 for boys in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Harvey a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Harvey appears in the boys' list; Behind the Name labels it masculine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Harvey — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
