A 1910s favorite, climbing again.
Popularity of Vasco since 1910
Babies named Vasco per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1916, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Vasco's real moment was 1910.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1910s | 95 |
| 1920s | 78 |
| 1930s | 63 |
| 1940s | 43 |
| 1950s | 25 |
| 1960s | 10 |
| 1970s | 11 |
| 1980s | 17 |
| 1990s | 17 |
| 2000s | 50 |
| 2010s | 55 |
| 2020s | 59 |
Meaning & origin
Vasco is an uncommon masculine name of Spanish and Portuguese origin, deriving from the Latin Vascus, meaning 'Basque'. Its most famous bearer is the explorer Vasco da Gama, which contributed to its historical appeal. In the United States, Vasco has never been widely used; it first appeared in Social Security records in 1910 and has seen modest but rising usage since 2001. Despite a peak rank of 6143 in 1910 and a current estimated 1-in-122,005 occurrence in 2025, the name remains rare, with few top-state concentrations. The name's trajectory shows a slow revival, likely influenced by multicultural naming trends and a growing appreciation for Iberian heritage.
Vasco derives from the Latin 'Vascus', meaning 'Basque'. It has been used primarily in Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries, often in reference to the Basque people. The name gained prominence through Vasco da Gama, the Portuguese explorer, and has seen occasional revival as a given name.
“Vasco” around the world
Where Vasco lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
35
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Sibling names for Vasco
Names that share Vasco's style, for a brother or sister.
