The name Melvin is a boy's name and also a surname. In Old English it was supposed to mean "counsel friend" or "sword friend", in Gaelic it would mean "smooth brow" and in Irish it means "polished chief". As a surname it is believed to be either a variation of Melville, or an anglicized form of the Scotish name Mac Gille Bheathain and it can also be a anglicized form of the Irish "O Maoil Mhin" which means a "descendant of Maoilmhin's devotees", this was a personal name which meant "gentle chieftain".
The name is usually abbreviated to Mel and is believed to have come from a name found in Old English "Maethelwine". There are a number of places called Melvin in the United States including Melvin in Iowa, Texas, Illinois and Michigan.
The name is usually abbreviated to Mel and is believed to have come from a name found in Old English "Maethelwine". There are a number of places called Melvin in the United States including Melvin in Iowa, Texas, Illinois and Michigan.
