Harvey is a name of English origin that has been used for both boys and girls throughout history. It is derived from the Old Norse personal name Haraldr, which means "strong" or "powerful". This name was brought to England by the Vikings during their invasions and settlements in the British Isles.
The name Harvey has been popular among the English nobility for centuries. One of the most famous bearers of this name was William Harvey, an English physician who is credited with discovering the circulatory system in the human body. He lived during the 17th century and his groundbreaking work on the heart and blood vessels helped to revolutionize medical science.
In literature, the name Harvey has been used by several notable authors including Jonathan Swift, who named one of the characters in his novel "Gulliver's Travels" Harriot. This character was a young girl who accompanied Gulliver on his adventures.
Today, Harvey is still a popular name for both boys and girls, although it is more commonly used for boys. It has several variants such as Harvey, Harris, and Hari. Some famous people with the name Harvey include comedian and actor Steve Harvey, and basketball player Dwight Howard whose full name is Dwight David Howard Jr., but who goes by the nickname "Superman" or "D12".
The name Harve experienced significant fluctuations in popularity over the course of these years. The highest number of births was recorded in 1882 with 22 births, while the lowest occurred in 1898 and 1960 with only 5 births each. There were several periods where the name's popularity seemed to rise and fall - for instance, it peaked again in 1944 with 11 births before declining once more until reaching another peak in 1955 with 8 births. Overall, there were a total of 554 babies named Harve born during these years.