Irving
Irving is a boys' name of English origin meaning “green water, sea friend.” Irving derives from a Scottish place name meaning 'green water' or possibly from the Old English 'Eoforwine' (boar…
how do you pronounce Irving?
ER-ving
Hear it spoken aloud with our AI pronunciation tool.
what does Irving mean?
The name Irving means “green water, sea friend.” It comes from the English language tradition.
Irving derives from a Scottish place name meaning 'green water' or possibly from the Old English 'Eoforwine' (boar friend). The name has a strong cultural legacy through Irving Berlin, who wrote some of America's most iconic songs, and Washington Irving, father of American literature. It projects intellectual and creative distinction.
where does the name Irving come from?
Wiktionary and Wikipedia agree Irving is a variant of the Scottish surname Irvine, derived from the River Irvine in Dumfriesshire; Wiktionary traces the river name to a root cognate with words for fresh and river, supporting a 'fresh/green water' sense. The alternative Old English Eoforwine ('boar friend') derivation given elsewhere isn't supported by anything found here.
the history of Irving
Wikipedia confirms Irving is used as a male given name derived from this surname; the specific Irving Berlin and Washington Irving associations mentioned elsewhere aren't addressed in this source.
what are the nicknames and variants of Irving?
Nicknames
Variants around the world
who are famous people named Irving?
- Irving Berlin (American composer, 'White Christmas,' 'God Bless America')
- Washington Irving (American author, 'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow')
what names go well with Irving?
Sibling names that share Irving's rhythm and register without echoing it too closely.
Last reviewed April 30, 2026 · Curated by HushName editorial
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