Mavis is a female given name, derived from a name for the common Old World song thrush. Its first modern usage was in Marie Corelli's 1895 novel The Sorrows of Satan, which featured a character named Mavis Clare (whose name was said to be "rather odd but suitable", as "she sings quite as sweetly as any thrush"<ref>Marie Corelli 'The Sorrows of Satan 2006 Adamant Media Corporation p. 127</ref>). The name was long obsolete by the 19th century, but known from its poetic use, as in Robert Burns's 1794 poem Ca' the Yowes ("Hark the mavis evening sang/Sounding Clouden's woods amang"); and in the popular love song "Mary of Argyle" (c.1850), where lyricist Charles Jefferys wrote, "I have heard the mavis singing its love-song to the morn."Mavis had its height of popularity between the 1920s and 1940s. Its usage declined thereafter, and it has been rather unfashionable since the 1960s.
Notable people
Mavis Adjei, Ghanaian actress
Mavis Akoto, Ghanaian sprinter
Mavis Batey, MBE (1921-2013), English code-breaker during World War II
Mavis Biesanz (1919–2008), Finnish-American writer and sociologist
Mavis B. Carroll (1917–2009), American statistician
Mavis Cheek (b. 1948), English novelist and feminist
Mavis Chirandu (b. 1995), Zimbabwean footballer
Mavis Thorpe Clark, AM (1909-1999), Australian novelist and children's writer
Mavis Danso (b. 1984), Ghanaian footballer
Mavis Doering (1929–2007), Cherokee Nation basketmaker from Oklahoma
Mavis Dgajmah (b. 1973), Ghanaian footballer
Mavis Ehlert (1922–2007), British-Canadian sculptor
Mavis Fan (b. 1977), Taiwanese singer
Mavis Freeman (1918–1988), American swimmer who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics Mavis Gallant (1922–2014), Canadian writer Mavis Gibson, Zimbabwean lawyer, first black woman judge of the High Court of Zimbabwe, and first woman judge of the High Court of Namibia Mavis Gray née Beckett (b. 1944), Australian field hockey player Mavis Doriel Hay (1894–1979), British author Mavis Hee (b. 1974), Singaporean singer Mavis Hinds (1929–2009), English meteorologist Mavis Hutchinson (1924-2022), first woman to run across the United States Mavis Jones (1922–1990), Australian cricket player Mavis Jukes (b. 1947), American children's author Mavis Kelsey (1912–2013), American internist and one of the founders of the Kelsey-Seybold Clinic Mavis Hawa Koomson (b. 1966), Ghanaian politician and educationist Mavis Le Marquand, Jersey lawn bowler Mavis Leno (b. 1946), American feminist and wife of Jay Leno Mavis Maclean, MBE, FRSA (b. 1943), socio-legal researcher at the University of Oxford and founder of the Oxford Centre for Family Law and Policy (OXFLAP) Mavis Meadowcroft (1926–2008), Australian lawn bowler Mavis Moyo (b. 1929), Radio Zimbabwe broadcaster and founding member of the Federation of African Media Women Zimbabwe (FAMWZ) Mavis Mullins, New Zealand businesswoman Mavis Nicholson (1930–2022), Welsh broadcaster Mavis Ogun (b. 1973), Nigerian footballer who played in three FIFA Women's World Cups Mavis Pugh (1914–2006), English actress and comedian Mavis Rivers (1929–1992), Samoan and New Zealand jazz singer Mavis Smitheman, local body councillor for Ardwick, Manchester Mavis Staines (b. 1954), Canadian ballet dancer Mavis Staples (b. 1939), American rhythm and blues singer Mavis Steele MBE (1928–1998), British lawn bowler Mavis Sweeney (1909–1986), Australian hospital pharmacist who was awarded The Evans Medal for Merit in 1968 Mavis Taillieu (b. 1952), Canadian politician Mavis Tate (1893–1947), British Conservative Party politician and feminist, born Maybird Hogg Mavis Taylor (1915–2007), Australian humanitarian Mavis Tchibota (b. 1996), Congolese footballer Mavis Villiers (1911–1976), British actress Mavis Wilson (fl. 1980–90s), Canadian politician