Ervin Lau
Name meaning, origin and global statistics
Ervin Lau is a name that combines English origins. The first name Ervin is a masculine given name of English origin. Ervin is a male given name of Indo-European origin, meaning "green water," "fresh water," "friend of the sea," or "army friend." It is believed to have either originated from Old English or Old Gaelic, referring to its water-related meanings, or from the German language, where it signifies "friend of the army." In German, it is typically written as Erwin, but in many other European nations where the name is popular—namely Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Estonia, Hungary, and Romania—it is written as Ervin. The surname Lau: Amy Lau (1968–2025), American interior designer Andrew Lau (born 1960), Hong Kong director and producer Andy Lau (born 1961), Hong Kong singer and actor Carina Lau (born 1965), Hong Kong-Canadian actress and director Chak Sing Lau, Hong Kong professor of rheumatology Charley Lau (1933–1984), American catcher and hitting coach in Major League Baseball Christel Lau (born 1944), German field hockey player Constance Lau (born 1991), Singaporean actress and model David Lau (born 1966), Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel Emma Lau (born 1991), British actress Evelyn Lau (born 1971), Canadian writer Finn. Ervin is a distinctive first name, carried by approximately 35K people globally, with the highest concentration in United States. The name Ervin reached peak popularity in the 1970s, reflecting the naming trends of that era.
Etymology & Origin
First Name: Ervin
English
Ervin is a male given name of Indo-European origin, meaning "green water," "fresh water," "friend of the sea," or "army friend." It is believed to have either originated from Old English or Old Gaelic, referring to its water-related meanings, or from the German language, where it signifies "friend of the army." In German, it is typically written as Erwin, but in many other European nations where the name is popular—namely Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Estonia, Hungary, and Romania—it is written as Ervin.
Surname: Lau
Vietnamese
Amy Lau (1968–2025), American interior designer Andrew Lau (born 1960), Hong Kong director and producer Andy Lau (born 1961), Hong Kong singer and actor Carina Lau (born 1965), Hong Kong-Canadian actress and director Chak Sing Lau, Hong Kong professor of rheumatology Charley Lau (1933–1984), American catcher and hitting coach in Major League Baseball Christel Lau (born 1944), German field hockey player Constance Lau (born 1991), Singaporean actress and model David Lau (born 1966), Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel Emma Lau (born 1991), British actress Evelyn Lau (born 1971), Canadian writer Finn.
Geographic Distribution
The first name Ervin is distributed across the globe, with the highest concentrations in the following countries:
Popularity Over Time
Popularity of the name Ervin by decade, based on birth registration data:
Notable People Named Ervin Lau
- Donald Knuth (historian of mathematics, 1938)
- Robert E. Howard (short story writer, 1906)
- Ronald McNair (karateka, 1950)
- Ervin Zukanović (association football player, 1987)
People listed above share this name. Listed for informational purposes only. Source: Wikipedia.
Numerology
According to Pythagorean numerology, each letter in a name carries a numerical value. Here are the key numbers for Ervin Lau:
Creativity and self-expression. Associated with artistic flair, optimism and sociability — a natural communicator.
Compassion and humanitarianism. A generous, idealistic nature with a sincere desire to improve the world.
Creativity and self-expression. Associated with artistic flair, optimism and sociability — a natural communicator.
Numerology is a cultural tradition for exploring symbolism in names. Results are for entertainment purposes.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the origin of the first name Ervin?
- The first name Ervin originates from English. Ervin is a male given name of Indo-European origin, meaning "green water," "fresh water," "friend of the sea," or "army friend." It is believed to have either originated from Old English or Old Gaelic, referring to its water-related meanings, or from the German language, where it signifies "friend of the army." In German, it is typically written as Erwin, but in many other European nations where the name is popular—namely Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Estonia, Hungary, and Romania—it is written as Ervin.
- When was Ervin most popular?
- The name Ervin reached its peak popularity during the 1970s.
- What is the origin of the surname Lau?
- The surname Lau originates from Vietnamese. Amy Lau (1968–2025), American interior designer Andrew Lau (born 1960), Hong Kong director and producer Andy Lau (born 1961), Hong Kong singer and actor Carina Lau (born 1965), Hong Kong-Canadian actress and director Chak Sing Lau, Hong Kong professor of rheumatology Charley Lau (1933–1984), American catcher and hitting coach in Major League Baseball Christel Lau (born 1944), German field hockey player Constance Lau (born 1991), Singaporean actress and model David Lau (born 1966), Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel Emma Lau (born 1991), British actress Evelyn Lau (born 1971), Canadian writer Finn.
- What are the origins of the name Ervin Lau?
- The name Ervin Lau combines two different traditions: the first name Ervin has English roots, while the surname Lau originates from Vietnamese.