What Does My Name Harvey Mean?

A male name, Harvey is pronounced HAR-vee. It is of Old English and Old French origin, and its meaning is "eager for battle; strong and worthy." It is a variant form of Herve (French).

In the movie "Harvey", Jimmy Stewart was upstaged by a giant invisible rabbit. English physician, anatomist, and physiologist William Harvey; Playwright Harvey Feirstein are two of the important personalities bearing the name.

Nicknames of the name include Harv, Harve and alternate spellings of the name Harvey is Harvy, Harvy etc.

The boy's name Harvey began as a surname, itself originating in Brittany in north-west France. It derives from an old Breton name from the words haer "battle" and vy "worthy." After the Norman Conquest, Harvey was brought to Britain, especially the East Coast, by Breton settlers (in modern French the name is Herve, with an accent on the second "e"). It is not very common as a given name in Britain, though it has gained in popularity in recent years (in the 1980s there was a TV series called Shine On Harvey Moon, though this probably isn't the reason for the name's greater popularity.)

It has long been better known as a given name in the US. The actor Harvey Keitel is a famous example, while for earlier generations the name is eternally connected with James Stewart's giant, invisible rabbit companion in the classic 1940s film Harvey.

The name Harvey is a boy's name. It is believed to be of Old French and Old English origin. The name is pronounced as "HAR-vee". The name is traditionally of Norman usage and is believed to mean "strong and worth" or "eager for battle". Harvey can also mean man-at-arms" or "soldier". The name is believed to have come to England along with Breton mercenaries belonging to William the Conqueror. The name is believed to have eight different variations including Harve, Herv, Harvee, Harvy, Herve, Harvie, Harv and Hervey.

Harvey is used in the United States, Australia and Canada for place names. Harvey as a last name can be found used in the name of William Harvey, famous for the discovery related to the circulation of blood and Domino Harvey who was a British model from the fashion industry that turned into a bounty hunter in Los Angeles.