Meaning and background
The story behind Marvin
Marvin is an established English first name that came through surname use. Its deeper background is less straightforward: sources connect the surname to Welsh Merfyn or to the Old English name Mærwine. Because those routes are alternatives, Marvin cannot responsibly be reduced to a single unquestioned translation. It has two clear syllables and a familiar, old-fashioned sound that works independently of either proposed ancestry.
- Origin
- English given name from a surname potentially derived from Welsh Merfyn or Old English Mærwine. Source
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Everyday moments“Marvin, come here!”
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About Marvin
Recorded as a dog’s name
Marvin appears in 13 dog licence records in the 2026 New York City dataset.
How to read this count
These records cover New York City and may count the same dog in more than one licence period. They are not a national popularity ranking.
Pronunciation and rhythm
/mɑɹvɪn/
US English sound sequence, converted from the CMU dictionary. Stress marks are shown separately.
Stress on the first syllable in the recorded US readings.
View dictionary notation
/mɑɹvɪn/ · primary stress on syllable 1M AA1 R V IH0 N
These are US dictionary readings. Personal, regional and other language pronunciations may differ.
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Sources and research notes (2)
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene NYC Dog Licensing Dataset — extract_year 2026 — Dog licence periods, not unique dogs; NYC only. No owner-level fields retrieved.
- Carnegie Mellon University / CMU Sphinx maintainers CMU US English Pronouncing Dictionary — US English dictionary readings; not owner-specific or exhaustive multilingual pronunciation
References support the individual facts shown. A source link does not mean the entire profile has been verified.