A masculine given name; also slang for a wedgie (pulling someone's underwear up from behind).
From Scottish Gaelic 'Mael Mhin' meaning 'smooth brow' or 'gentle chieftain'. The wedgie meaning emerged from 1980s American slang, possibly from stereotypes about nerdy characters named Melvin.
Poor Melvin went from meaning 'gentle chieftain' in ancient Scotland to becoming synonymous with schoolyard pranks in modern America. This transformation shows how names can acquire completely unrelated meanings through cultural associations and stereotypes.
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