Gender: Masculine
Origin: Debated
Meaning: Debated
Eng (MAR-vin); Germ (MAR-veen)

The name is of debated origin and meaning, the two consistent theories are 1) it is from the Welsh male name Merfyn, meaning, “famous marrow”, or 2) it is from a Old High German name, being composed of the elements mar (famous) and wini (friend). It has even been suggested that Merfyn is actually a Welsh corruption of the latter, being introduced into Wales by the Anglo-Saxons.

Merfyn was borne by a 9th-century Welsh king.

Currently, Marvin/Marwin is the 97th most popular male name in Germany, (2011).

His rankings in other countries are as follows:

• # 309 (France, 2009)
• # 431 (United States, 2010)

A feminine form is Marva.