Harvey

This name comes from the Breton given name Hoiarnviu or Haerviu, formed from Old Breton hoiarn meaning “iron” or “battle” and viu meaning “eager,” “keen,” “fiery,” or “blazing.” It was borne by a 6th-century Breton hermit who became the patron saint of the blind. Brittany settlers brought the name to England after the Norman Conquest, where it became uncommon in the later Middle Ages before being revived in the 19th century, partly through a surname derived from it. Mary Chase later used it for the oversized imaginary rabbit in her 1944 play Harvey, which was adapted into a 1950 film.

Harvey moved from #245 to #251 for boys between 2024 and 2025. Its highest annual birth count came in 1921, with 2,287 births.