Melvin

For other uses, see Melvin (disambiguation).

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.^[1] 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 origin, originally Malleville, which translates to "bad town," it likely made its way into usage in Scotland as a result of the Norman conquest of England.^[2][3] 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 (born 1980), English comedian and presenter
• Melvin Kaminsky (born 1926), given name of actor Mel Brooks
• Melvin Parker (1944–2021), American drummer who played in James Brown's band
• Melvin Van Peebles (1932–2021), American actor and director
• Melvin Ragin (1951–2018), American guitarist known as "Wah-Wah Watson"
• Melvin Rhyne (1936–2013), jazz organist
• Melvin Seals (born 1953), American musician
• Melvin Sia (born 1979), Malaysian-Chinese actor, singer, model
• Melvin Sparks (1946–2011), American jazz guitarist
• Melvin Howard Tormé (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 (1898–1964), U.S. Representative from Minnesota
• Melvin J. Miller (1919–1974), American farmer and politician
• Melvin McQuaid (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 (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 (born 1976), Dutch kickboxer
• Melvin Mitchell (born 1953), American football player
• Melvin Mora (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 (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 (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 (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 (1846–1897), American lawyer and politician
• Tom Melvin (born 1961), American football coach
• William L. Melvin, American engineer

See also

• Melvyn, a list of people with the given name
• Justice Melvin (disambiguation)