Cavan
Boy name · #3480 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Cavan? In official American birth records, Cavan has been tracked continuously since 1969, giving it 56 years of documented American history.
Cavan is currently the #3480 boy name in the United States — 33 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #2766, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 54,545 boys born in 2025 was named Cavan.
The 56-year story
Cavan first appears in the Social Security records in 1969, when 8 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2008, when 77 boys were named Cavan — good for #1874 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Cavan per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Cavan against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Cavan in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Cavan is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Cavan will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Cavan is most common
State-level data for Cavan is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Cavan
Statistically, parents drawn to Cavan tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Javan, Jeevan, Corban, Keyan, and Hagan.
JavanJeevanCorbanKeyanHaganOryanCainanSohan
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Cavan | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 33 | #3450 |
| 2024 | 25 | #4200 |
| 2023 | 30 | #3712 |
| 2022 | 28 | #3879 |
| 2021 | 33 | #3427 |
| 2020 | 28 | #3734 |
| 2019 | 41 | #2943 |
| 2018 | 31 | #3524 |
| 2017 | 36 | #3193 |
| 2016 | 44 | #2726 |
| 2015 | 43 | #2766 |
| 2014 | 52 | #2429 |
| 2013 | 69 | #1989 |
| 2012 | 51 | #2448 |
| 2011 | 52 | #2403 |
| 2010 | 53 | #2375 |
| 2009 | 69 | #2010 |
| 2008 | 77 | #1874 |
| 2007 | 64 | #2117 |
| 2006 | 59 | #2176 |
| 2005 | 71 | #1813 |
| 2004 | 45 | #2452 |
| 2003 | 60 | #1936 |
| 2002 | 65 | #1772 |
| 2001 | 41 | #2386 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Cavan?
In official American birth records, the name Cavan first appeared in 1969 (over 56 years ago), when 8 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 56 years.
Is Cavan a popular boy name?
Cavan ranked #3480 among boys in 2025 with 33 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2766.
When was the name Cavan most popular?
Cavan peaked in 2008, when 77 American boys received the name (ranked #1874 that year). Since 2008 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Cavan?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 54,545 newborn American boys was named Cavan. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.