unisex name · in the US
Devon
DEV-en (English)
- Origin English
- Gender Unisex (US)
- Syllables 2
- Letters 5
- Popularity Uncommon
- Births on record 105,531
Scotland
#446
2024 births
Devon is the English county, named for the Dumnonii — a Celtic people whose own name may mean the deep ones, possibly referring to mining. It is a separate name from the Irish Devin.
- Devon is a name of English origin.
- Peaked in 1995, when 4,001 babies were given the name.
- It has been falling over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 12,751 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1914.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Devon Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1910s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1910s | 86 |
| 1920s | 262 |
| 1930s | 356 |
| 1940s | 439 |
| 1950s | 876 |
| 1960s | 1,798 |
| 1970s | 5,647 |
| 1980s | 14,452 |
| 1990s | 36,230 |
| 2000s | 24,094 |
| 2010s | 6,742 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 1,994 |
What Devon Means
Devon means the territory of the Dumnonii, a Celtic people. Their name is usually read as the deep ones, which may refer to mining rather than to water.
Where Devon Comes From
Devon is one of very few English counties whose name preserves a pre-Roman tribe rather than an Anglo-Saxon settlement: the Dumnonii held the south-west peninsula, and Cornwall and Devon both descend from their territory. Their name is usually connected to a Celtic root meaning deep, which has been read as a reference to the tin and copper mining the region was known for across the ancient world. Devon is distinct from Devin, which anglicizes an Irish surname, though English use blurs them.
Devon in Use
Devon peaked in the United States in 1995, when 4,001 babies were registered, and is falling. It now ranks 446th in Scotland on 7 births, 939th in England and Wales on 47, 1,028th in the United States on 260 and 2,763rd in France on 10, across 105,531 lifetime births in five markets. About 22 percent of recorded births are female.
How Popular Is Devon?
In 2025, Devon was given to 260 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Where Devon Is Used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
How Devon Is Spelled
Birth registers count each spelling separately, so every one has its own ranking.
| Spelling | What it is | Births on record |
|---|---|---|
| Dévon | Dévon is a rare spelling of Devon, written with an acute accent and recorded about 75 times, mostly in France. | 75 |
Names That Peaked Alongside Devon
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Devon Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Devon over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Boys' or Girls' Name?
Devon is used differently depending on where you are. Each figure is the share of babies given the name who were girls, over the last ten years of that country's records.
- United States Both 14% girls · 3,870 babies
- England & Wales Both 36% girls · 670 babies
- Canada Both 19% girls · 432 babies
- France Boys' 0% girls · 275 babies
- Scotland Both 45% girls · 77 babies
How to Say Devon
- English DEV-en /ˈdɛv.ən/
1 nickname for Devon
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Devon in Other Languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling Names for Devon
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Devon — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Devon
What does the name Devon mean?
The territory of the Dumnonii, a Celtic people whose name is read as the deep ones.
Is Devon the same as Devin?
No. Devon is an English county; Devin anglicizes an Irish surname. English use blurs them.
Why the deep ones?
Probably a reference to mining — the region's tin and copper were known across the ancient world.
Is Devon a girls' name?
For about 22 percent of recorded births.
How popular is the name Devon?
In 2025, Devon was given to 260 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
How many syllables are in Devon?
Devon has 2 syllables.
When was Devon most popular?
Devon peaked in 1995, when 4,001 babies were given the name. It has been falling over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Devon?
Devon is usually shortened to Dev.
Is Devon a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Devon currently ranks #446 in the United States. It has been falling over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.