Declining since 1999, #8,243 for boys today.
Popularity of Tavis since 1963
Babies named Tavis per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1999, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Tavis's real moment was 1977.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1960s | 88 |
| 1970s | 502 |
| 1980s | 419 |
| 1990s | 551 |
| 2000s | 434 |
| 2010s | 167 |
| 2020s | 49 |
Meaning & origin
Tavis is a rare Scottish-derived name that first appeared in U.S. birth records in 1963. It is likely a respelling of Tavish, the Scottish Gaelic form of Thomas. The name saw its peak popularity in 1977, but has since become much less common. Since 1999, its usage has been steadily falling. In 2025, the name ranks 8,243 and is given to roughly 1 in 190,000 boys. Tavis has not been recorded in any top states, indicating it is used sparsely across the country. It shares phonetic similarities with Travis but has a distinct Scottish heritage.
Tavis is likely a modern respelling of Tavish, the Scottish Gaelic form of Thomas, derived from the Aramaic t'om'a meaning 'twin'. The name emerged in the United States in the mid-20th century, possibly as a variant of Travis or as a independent coinage. It has seen sporadic use since the 1960s.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Tav
Variants: Tavish
Sibling names for Tavis
Names that share Tavis's style, for a brother or sister.
