319 saved#414 of 6,224

National Hug a Kevin Day

A lighthearted observance on October 10 encouraging people to show appreciation for anyone named Kevin through hugs and acts of kindness.

Saturday

October 2026

Last updated March 19, 2026 · by the Holiday Calendar Team

Have an update or spot an error?

YEARLY DATEOctober 10

OBSERVED INUnited States

CATEGORYNames

ORIGIN

Corporate Initiative

FOUNDING ENTITY

ABC Television Network

FIRST OBSERVED

2017

HOW THE HOLIDAY CAME TO BE

ABC Television Network created the holiday in 2017 as a promotional campaign for its series Kevin (Probably) Saves the World. Actor Jason Ritter broke the Guinness World Record for most hugs in one minute during the launch.

INTRO

Introduction

PHOTO

National Hug a Kevin Day began as a television marketing stunt and outlasted the show that inspired it. In 2017, ABC launched the holiday to promote Kevin (Probably) Saves the World, and actor Jason Ritter broke the Guinness World Record for most hugs in one minute, completing 86 hugs during a live appearance on The View.

The show was cancelled after one season, but the October 10 observance continued circulating online. With an estimated 1.1 million Americans named Kevin, the day found a ready audience that had nothing to do with network television ratings.

ORIGINS

Hug a Kevin Day history

INTRODUCTION

The name Kevin traces back to 6th-century Ireland, where Saint Caoimhín founded a monastic community in the glacial valley of Glendalough, County Wicklow. The name derives from the Old Irish Cóemgein, combining "coém" (gentle or handsome) with "gein" (birth). Saint Kevin became a patron saint of the Archdiocese of Dublin, and his feast day is celebrated on June 3.

For centuries, Kevin remained almost exclusively an Irish name. Its crossover into broader English-speaking populations began in the mid-20th century, driven by Irish diaspora communities in the United States and United Kingdom.

CHAPTER 01

A Mid-Century Name Boom

Kevin entered the U.S. Social Security Administration's top 100 baby names in the 1950s and climbed rapidly. By 1963, it ranked 11th nationally, and its highest usage rate occurred in 1965. An estimated 1.1 million Americans currently carry the name, making it one of the most common male names in the country despite a steady decline in new registrations since the 1970s.

CHAPTER 02

The Television Origin

In October 2017, ABC Television Network created National Hug a Kevin Day as a promotional tie-in for its new dramedy Kevin (Probably) Saves the World, starring Jason Ritter as Kevin Finn, a man tasked with performing acts of kindness. The show premiered on October 3, 2017, and the network designated October 10 as the holiday's date.

To amplify the launch, Ritter appeared on The View and attempted the Guinness World Record for most hugs given in one minute. He completed 86 hugs in 60 seconds, earning the record and generating press coverage for both the show and the new holiday.

CHAPTER 03

Outlasting Its Origin

ABC cancelled Kevin (Probably) Saves the World after one season in May 2018, but the October 10 observance did not disappear with the show. The holiday had already been indexed by online calendars and adopted by people named Kevin and their friends as a lighthearted annual occasion. Its survival illustrates how corporate-created holidays can detach from their original marketing purpose once they enter informal public circulation.

TIMELINE

National Hug a Kevin Day Timeline

Saint Kevin born in Ireland

Saint Caoimhín, later known as Saint Kevin, was born in Leinster, Ireland, and would go on to found the monastic settlement at Glendalough in County Wicklow.

Kevin peaks at 11th in U.S. names

The name Kevin reached its highest ranking in the United States, placing 11th on the Social Security Administration's most popular baby names list.

National Hugging Day established

Kevin Zaborney created National Hugging Day on January 21, establishing the first formal holiday connecting hugs with a named observance in the United States.

ABC launches Hug a Kevin Day

ABC Television Network created National Hug a Kevin Day on October 10 as a promotional campaign for its new series Kevin (Probably) Saves the World.

Show cancelled, holiday persists

ABC cancelled Kevin (Probably) Saves the World after one season, but the October 10 observance continued circulating through social media and online holiday calendars.

GET INVOLVED

How to Celebrate National Hug a Kevin Day

Find every Kevin you know and deliver a hug

The holiday's premise is simple: locate friends, coworkers, or family members named Kevin and give them a hug (with consent). If you do not know a Kevin personally, a public shout-out on social media tagging someone named Kevin keeps the spirit of the day intact.

LEARN

Learn about the science behind hugging

Read Healthline's breakdown of hugging's health benefits, including how physical contact triggers oxytocin release and reduces cortisol levels. Understanding the biology adds substance to what might otherwise feel like a novelty holiday.

VISIT

Visit the ruins of Saint Kevin's monastery

If travel to Ireland is on your list, plan a visit to the Glendalough monastic site in County Wicklow, where the original Kevin founded his community in the 6th century. The valley's round tower, stone churches, and Celtic crosses are among Ireland's most visited heritage sites.

ATTEMPT

Attempt Jason Ritter's hug record informally

Gather a group and see how many hugs you can give in one minute, using Ritter's 86-hug Guinness record as the target. The Guinness World Records site documents the official rules, but an informal attempt at a party or workplace makes for a memorable team activity.

EXPLORE

Explore the history behind your own name

Use the day as a prompt to research the origin of your name at Behind the Name, a database of name etymologies and historical usage data. Comparing how names rise and fall in popularity across decades reveals patterns tied to immigration, pop culture, and generational trends.

WHY THIS DAY MATTERS

Why We Love National Hug a Kevin Day

It documents how marketing holidays take on independent life

ABC created the holiday for a show that lasted one season, yet the observance continues to circulate years after the show's cancellation. National Hug a Kevin Day serves as a case study in how holidays can outlive their commercial origins once they enter online calendars and social media cycles.

Physical touch has documented health effects

Research published in Psychological Science found that people who received more frequent hugs showed reduced susceptibility to upper respiratory infections and less severe symptoms when they did get sick. National Hug a Kevin Day, though lighthearted, aligns with a growing body of evidence on the physiological benefits of affectionate physical contact.

It connects over a million Americans by name

With an estimated 1.1 million Americans named Kevin, the observance creates a rare holiday tied directly to personal identity rather than profession, cause, or calendar tradition. Name-based holidays give participants an immediate, built-in connection to the day that requires no prior knowledge or affiliation.

Test your knowledge