Lavin Name Meaning. Irish (Connacht): reduced Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó LáimhÃn, a reduced form of Ó FlaithimhÃn 'descendant of FlaithimhÃn', a personal name from a diminutive of flaith 'prince', 'ruler'. This name is sometimes translated Hand, from the similarity of the reduced form to lámh 'hand'.