Melvin

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. It may alternatively be spelled as Melvyn and the name Melivinia may be used a feminine form. Of Norman French origin, originally Malleville, which translates to "bad town," it's likely it made its way into usage in Scotland as a result of the Norman conquest of England. It came into use as a given name as early as the 19th century, in English-speaking populations.

Given name

Academics

• Melvin Calvin (1911–1997), American chemist who discovered the Calvin cycle
• Melvin Day (born 1923), New Zealand artist and art historian
• Melvin Hochster (born 1943), American mathematician
• Melvin Konner, 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
• Melvin M. Leiman, Professor of Economics and award-winning author of The Political Economy of Racism

Businessmen

• Melvin Alvah Traylor (born 1878), 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 (born 1944), American drummer who played in James Brown's band
• Melvin Van Peebles (born 1932), American actor and director
• Melvin Ragin (born 1951), American guitarist known as 'Wah-Wah Watson'
• Melvin Rhyne (born 1936), jazz organist
• Melvin Seals (born 1953), American musician
• Melvin Sia, Malaysian-Chinese actor, singer, model
• Melvin Sparks (born 1946), American jazz guitarist

Politicians

• Melvin Irvin (1942-2014), African-American politician
• 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 McQuaid (1911–2001), member of the Canadian House of Commons
• Melvin Steinberg (born 1933), Lieutenant Governor of Maryland from 1987 to 1995

Sportsmen

• 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 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 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 Rosen (born 1928), American track coach
• Melvin Stewart (born 1968), American swimmer and Olympic medal winner
• Melvin Tarley (born 1982), Liberian footballer
• Melvin Turpin (1960–2010), American basketball player
• Melvin Valladares, Honduran football striker
• Melvin Watkins (born 1954), American basketball coach

Writers

• 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 (born 1941), American stage and television director
• Melvin Dummar (born 1944), American hoaxer and subject of film Melvin and Howard
• Melvin N. Johnson, American academic administrator
• Melvin Purvis (1903–1960), American FBI agent
• Melvin Williams (disambiguation), multiple people
• Melvin Zais (1916–1981), United States Army general

Fictional characters

• Melvin "Big Smoke" Harris, in the video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
• 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

Surname

• Allan Melvin (1923–2008), American actor
• Bob Melvin (born 1961), American Major League Baseball player and manager
• Chasity Melvin (born 1976), American basketball player
• Doug Melvin (born 1952), Major League Baseball front office executive
• Doug Melvin (rower) (born 1928), British rower
• Eric Melvin, American guitarist in punk band NOFX
• Fordyce R. Melvin (1832-1915), American politician
• Joe Melvin (1853–1909), Australian journalist
• John Melvin (naval officer) (1887–1917), officer in US Navy
• Leland D. Melvin, an African American NASA astronaut and University of Richmond wide receiver
• Martin Melvin (1879–1952), British businessman and newspaper manager
• Mekenna Melvin (born 1985), American actress
• Murray Melvin (born 1932), English stage and film actor
• Rachel Melvin (born 1985), American actress
• Thayer Melvin (1835–1906), American lawyer, politician, and judge