Names from Children’s Literature – Calvin

Calvin O’Keefe is a recurring character in many of Madeline L’Engle’s books, including A Wrinkle in Time (1962).

In his first appearances, he is a teenager. In later books, he has matured into a marine biologist and father of seven. (Interestingly, one of Calvin’s children ends up being named Polyhymnia after the Greek muse of sacred music).

The name Calvin comes from a French surname that was derived from the word chauve, meaning “bald.” It has been used quite consistently for over a century, and even managed to crack the top 100 for a brief stint during the 1920s.