Harvey is an English and Scottish family and given name derived from the Old Breton personal name Huiarnviu (or Aeruiu), composed of the elements hoiarn / huiarn (modern Breton houarn), meaning "iron," and viu (Breton bev), meaning "blazing." An alternative etymological theory suggests derivation from haer + vy, meaning "battle/carnage worthy." The name is related to Old Welsh Haarnbiu.
A separate origin in Ireland has been theorized, where Harvey is an anglicization of the Gaelic personal name Ó hAirmheadhaigh, possibly related to the name of a mythical physician, Airmheadh.
Pronunciation: /ˈhɑːrvi/
Origin and History
The name was introduced to England by settlers from Brittany after the Norman Conquest of 1066. It derives from the Old French Hervé, itself from the Old Breton Aeruiu / Hærviu. The name was borne by a 6th-century Breton hermit and saint, Saint Hervé (Saint Harvey), who is the patron saint of the blind.
Meanings
- "Battle worthy"
- "Blazing iron"
- "Iron blazing" (from the Breton elements for "iron" and "blazing")
Variant Forms
Hervey, Hervie, Harvie, Harry
Pet Form
Harv
Related Names
Hervé (Breton family name)
Notable Bearers
- Saint Hervé (Saint Harvey), 6th-century Breton saint
- Harvey Milk (1930–1978), American politician and gay rights activist
- Harvey Keitel (born 1939), American film actor
- Harvey Fierstein (born 1954), American actor and playwright
- Harvey Weinstein (born 1952), American film producer and convicted sex offender
- Harvey Cushing (1869–1939), pioneer of neurosurgery
- Harvey Samuel Firestone (1868–1938), founder of the Firestone Tire & Rubber Company
- Harvey Ball (1921–2001), creator of the smiley face
- Harvey Cox (born 1929), American theologian
- Harvey Pekar (1939–2010), American comics writer
- Harvey Elliott (born 2003), English footballer
- Harvey Barnes (born 1997), English footballer
In Fiction
- Harvey — the 6-foot-3½-inch-tall (190 cm) invisible rabbit from Mary Chase's 1944 play Harvey and the subsequent 1950 film starring James Stewart.
- Harvey Dent — the DC Comics supervillain Two-Face.
- Harvey Kinkle — the love interest of Sabrina the Teenage Witch.
- Harvey Birdman — animated character from Birdman and the Galaxy Trio and Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law.
As a Surname
Harvey is a common surname in English-speaking countries, particularly in England, Scotland, and Ireland. It ranks among the more frequent surnames in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, and Australia.
