Melvin is a masculine given name and surname, likely a variant of Melville and a descendant of the French surname de Maleuin and the later Melwin. It may alternatively be spelled as Melvyn or, in Welsh, Melfyn and the name Melivinia or Melva may be used a feminine form. Of

Norman French Norman or Norman French (, , Guernésiais: , Jèrriais: ) is a '' langue d'oïl'' spoken in the historical and cultural region of Normandy. The name "Norman French" is sometimes also used to describe the administrative languages of '' Angl ...

origin, originally Malleville, which translates to "bad town," it likely made its way into usage in

Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...

as a result of the

Norman conquest of England The Norman Conquest (or the Conquest) was the 11th-century invasion and occupation of England by an army made up of thousands of Normans, Norman, French people, French, Flemish people, Flemish, and Bretons, Breton troops, all led by the Du ...

. It came into use as a given name as early as the 19th century, in English-speaking populations.

As a name

Given name

Academics

* Melvin Calvin (1911–1997), American chemist who discovered the Calvin cycle * Melvin Day (1923–2016), New Zealand artist and art historian * Melvin Hochster (born 1943), American mathematician * Melvin Konner (born 1946), Professor of Anthropology * Melvin Schwartz (1932–2006), American physicist who won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1988 * Melvin Alvah Traylor, Jr. (1915–2008), American ornithologist

Businessmen

* Melvin Jones (1879–1961), businessman and founder of Lions Club * Melvin Alvah Traylor (1878–1934), American banker * Melvin T. Tukman, American asset manager, investor, philanthropist.

Performers

* Melvin Edmonds, member of R&B group After 7 * Melvin Franklin (1942–1995), stage name of American bass singer David Melvin English * Melvin Gibbs, American bass guitarist *

Melvin Odoom Melvin Kuuku Odoom (born 30 July 1980) is a British radio DJ and television presenter. Alongside Rickie Haywood-Williams and Charlie Hedges, he presented the Kiss (UK radio station), Kiss FM breakfast show (2009–2018) and since then, on BBC R ...

(born 1980), English comedian and presenter * Melvin Kaminsky (born 1926), given name of actor

Mel Brooks Melvin James Brooks (né Kaminsky; born June 28, 1926) is an American actor, comedian, filmmaker, and songwriter. With a career spanning over seven decades, he is known as a writer and director of a variety of successful broad farces and parodie ...

Melvin Parker Melvin Parker (June 7, 1944 – December 3, 2021) was an American drummer. He and his brother, saxophonist Maceo Parker, were key members of James Brown (musician), James Brown's band. Life and career Parker was born in Kinston, North Carolina on ...

(1944–2021), American drummer who played in James Brown's band *

Melvin Van Peebles Melvin Van Peebles (born Melvin Peebles; August 21, 1932 – September 21, 2021) was an American actor, filmmaker, writer, and composer. He worked as an active filmmaker into the early 2020s. His feature film debut, ''The Story of a Three-Day Pa ...

(1932–2021), American actor and director *

Melvin Ragin Melvin M. Ragin (December 8, 1950 – October 24, 2018), known professionally as Wah Wah Watson, was an American guitarist who was a member of the Funk Brothers, the studio band for Motown Records. He also worked extensively as a session musicia ...

(1951–2018), American guitarist known as "Wah-Wah Watson" *

Melvin Rhyne Melvin Rhyne (October 12, 1936 – March 5, 2013), was a jazz organist best known for his work with Wes Montgomery. Biography Melvin Rhyne was born in Indianapolis in 1936 and started playing the piano shortly after. At 19 years old, Rhyne s ...

(1936–2013), jazz organist *

Melvin Seals Melvin Seals (born 1953 in San Francisco, California) is an American musician, best known as a longtime member of the Jerry Garcia Band. Early life and career Melvin Seals began playing piano at age eight and began his musical adventure playin ...

(born 1953), American musician *

Melvin Sia Melvin Sia (born 14 June 1979) is a Malaysian actor, model and singer. He won the Best Actor Award at the Malaysia Golden Awards for his role in '' Romantic Delicacies''. He also won Most Popular Actor in Viewers' Choice category in the same ...

(born 1979), Malaysian-Chinese actor, singer, model *

Melvin Sparks Melvin Sparks (March 22, 1946 – March 15, 2011) was an American soul jazz, hard bop and jazz blues guitarist. He recorded a number of albums for Prestige Records, later recording for Savant Records. He appeared on several recordings with mu ...

(1946–2011), American jazz guitarist *

Melvin Howard Tormé Melvin is a masculine given name and surname, likely a variant of Melville and a descendant of the French surname de Maleuin and the later Melwin. It may alternatively be spelled as Melvyn or, in Welsh, Melfyn and the name Melivinia or Melva may ...

(1925-1999), American musician, singer, composer, arranger, drummer, actor, and author

Politicians

* Melvin R. Laird, Sr. (1877–1946), American politician * Melvin R. Laird (1922–2016), American politician and writer *

Melvin Maas Melvin Joseph Maas (May 14, 1898 – April 13, 1964) was a U.S. Representative from Minnesota and decorated Major general (United States), Major General of the United States Marine Corps Reserve during World War II. Early years Melvin Joseph ...

(1898–1964), U.S. Representative from Minnesota * Melvin J. Miller (1919–1974), American farmer and politician *

Melvin McQuaid Melvin James McQuaid (6 September 1911 – 16 January 2001) was a Progressive Conservative party member of the House of Commons of Canada. He was born in Souris, Prince Edward Island and became a lawyer and clerk by career. McQuaid attended ...

(1911–2001), member of the Canadian House of Commons * Melvin Steinberg (born 1933), American politician, Lieutenant Governor of Maryland from 1987 to 1995 * Melvin ZumBrunnen (born 1941), American politician

Sportsmen

* Melvin Upton Jr. (born 1984), American baseball player * Melvin Baker (born 1950), American football player *

Melvin Booker Melvin Jermaine Booker (born August 20, 1972) is an American former professional basketball player. A , point guard, he played for the University of Missouri. Amateur career Booker was a standout high school player in Moss Point, Mississippi. ...

(born 1972), American basketball player * Melvin Brown (footballer) (born 1979), Mexican football player * Melvin Bullitt (born 1984), American football player * Melvin Cunningham (born 1973), American football player * Melvin Ejim (born 1991), Nigerian-Canadian professional basketball player * Melvin Ely (born 1978), American basketball player * Melvin Fowler (born 1979), American football center * Melvin Guillard (born 1983), American mixed martial artist * Melvin Gordon American football player * Melvin Jones (American football) (born 1955), American football player *

Melvin Manhoef Melvin Manhoef (born 11 May 1976) is a retired Surinamese people, Surinamese-born Dutch people, Dutch mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist and Kickboxing, kickboxer. In kickboxing, he is a former It's Showtime (kickboxing), It's Showtime Middl ...

(born 1976), Dutch kickboxer * Melvin Mitchell (born 1953), American football player *

Melvin Mora Melvin Mora Diaz (born February 2, 1972) is a Venezuelan-American former professional baseball infielder. He played for the New York Mets, Baltimore Orioles, Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball (MLB). From his ...

(born 1972), Major League baseball player * Melvin Nieves (born 1971), baseball player * Melvin Ott (1909–1958), Major League Baseball right fielder * Melvin Platje (born 1988), Dutch football player * Melvin Raffin (born 1998), French athlete specialising in the triple jump * Melvin Rosen (1928–2018), American track coach * Melvin Stewart (born 1968), American swimmer and Olympic medal winner * Melvin Tarley (born 1982), Liberian footballer * Melvin Tong (born 1975), Hong Kong former professional tennis player * Melvin Turpin (1960–2010), American basketball player * Melvin Valladares (born 1984), Honduran football striker * Melvin Watkins (born 1954), American basketball coach

Writers

* Melvin Jules Bukiet, American author and literary critic *

Melvin Burgess Melvin Burgess (born 25 April 1954) is a British writer of children's fiction. He became famous in 1996 with the publication of ''Junk (novel), Junk'', about heroin-addicted teenagers on the streets of Bristol. In Britain, ''Junk'' became one o ...

(born 1954), British author of children's fiction * Melvin Frank (1913–1988), American screenwriter and film director * Melvin B. Tolson (1898–1966), American modernist poet

Others

* Melvin Belli (1907–1996), American lawyer known as 'The King of Torts' * Melvin Bernhardt (1931–2015), American stage and television director *

Melvin Dummar Melvin Earl Dummar (August 28, 1944 – December 9, 2018) was a Utah man who gained attention when he claimed to have saved reclusive business tycoon Howard Hughes in the Nevada desert in 1967, and to have been awarded part of Hughes' vast e ...

(1944–2018), American hoaxer and subject of film ''Melvin and Howard'' * Melvin Edwards (born 1937) , American abstract sculptor and printmaker * Melvin N. Johnson, American academic administrator * Melvin Purvis (1903–1960), American FBI agent * Melvin Storer (1921–2003), United States Navy shipfitter * Melvin Williams (disambiguation), multiple people * Melvin Zais (1916–1981), United States Army general

Fictional characters

* Melvin Frohike, in the television shows ''The X-Files'' and ''The Lone Gunmen'' * Melvin Palmer, on the television show ''Boston Legal'' * Melvin the Superhero Guy, a puppet of ventriloquist Jeff Dunham * Melvin Sneedly, a character from the Captain Underpants series * Melvin Potter, also known as Gladiator, a ''Daredevil'' comics character

Surname

* Allan Melvin (1923–2008), American actor * Billy Melvin (born 1977), Scottish footballer * Bob Melvin (born 1961), American baseball player and manager * Charles Melvin (1885–1941) British soldier and Victoria Cross recipient * Chasity Melvin (born 1976), American basketball player * Craig Melvin (born 1979), American journalist * Daniel Wilkie Melvin (1838–1916), auctioneer in South Australia * Doug Melvin (born 1952), Canadian baseball executive * Doug Melvin (rower) (1928–2021), British rower * Ed Melvin (1916–2004), American basketball player * Eileen Melvin, American businessperson *

Eric Melvin Eric Scott Melvin (born July 9, 1966) is an American musician and founding member of the punk rock band NOFX. Throughout the band's existence, he and Fat Mike were the only band members who stayed since the beginning. NOFX Melvin plays guitar an ...

(born 1966), American musician * Fordyce R. Melvin (1832–1915), American politician * G. S. Melvin (1886–1946), British pantomime dame and comedian * Henry A. Melvin (1865–1920), American judge * Isaac Melvin (1811–1853), American architect * Jemma Melvin, British pudding creator * Jerry G. Melvin (1929–2020), American politician * Joan Orie Melvin, American judge * Joe Melvin (1853–1909), Australian journalist * John Melvin, multiple people * Kenneth R. Melvin (born 1952), American politician and lawyer * Leland D. Melvin (born 1964), American astronaut * Martin Melvin (businessman) (1879–1952), British businessman and newspaper manager * Martin Melvin (footballer) (born 1969), Scottish footballer * Mekenna Melvin (born 1985), American actress * Mungo Melvin (born 1955), British soldier and historian * Murray Melvin (1932–2023), English stage and film actor * Norman C. Melvin III (born 1950), American botanist and plant ecologist * Peter Melvin (1933–2009), British architect * Rachel Melvin (born 1985), American actress * Rashaan Melvin (born 1989), American football player * Randy Melvin (born 1959), American football coach * Reine Arcache Melvin (born 1959), Filipina author * Sean Melvin (born 1994), Canadian soccer player * Thayer Melvin (1835–1906), American lawyer, politician, and judge *

Theodore N. Melvin Theodore Noble Melvin (December 1, 1846 – October 5, 1897) was an American lawyer and politician from New York. Life Melvin was born on December 1, 1846, in New York City, New York City, New York. His father was Solomon Melvin, a prominent la ...

(1846–1897), American lawyer and politician * Tom Melvin (born 1961), American football coach * William L. Melvin, American engineer

References

{{given name, type=both Masculine given names English masculine given names English-language masculine given names French masculine given names German masculine given names Dutch masculine given names