Gavin
/ˈɡævɪn/
proper noun
Origin
Welsh
Gwalchgwyn — white hawk
Overview
Meaning Now
- A masculine given name of medieval origin.
Literal older meaning
white hawk
Language path
Welsh → English
Earliest form
Gualguanus
Earliest period
12th century
Journey
The name Gavin derives from the legendary Sir Gawain, one of the most prominent knights in Arthurian romance. The name was likely a localized version of the earlier Welsh 'Gwalchgwyn' found in early Welsh poetry and chronicles.
Evolution
- Middle Welsh
Gwalchgwyn
“white hawk”
Original composition of gwalch (hawk) and gwyn (white).
- 12th century
Gualguanus
“Gawain”
Latinized form in Arthurian legends.
- Middle English
Gawain
“Knight of the Round Table”
Vernacular evolution of the literary name.
- Modern English
Gavin
“masculine given name”
Modern variant spelling established as a distinct name.
Connections
Word parts
gwalch
root
hawk
gwyn
root
white
Related across languages
Welsh
Gwalchgwyn
white hawk
French
Gauvain
Gawain
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Related to Gavin
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.