Declining since 2006, #12,008 for boys today.
Popularity of Vaughan since 1911
Babies named Vaughan per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 2006, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Vaughan's real moment was 1912.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1910s | 117 |
| 1920s | 136 |
| 1930s | 95 |
| 1940s | 159 |
| 1950s | 158 |
| 1960s | 144 |
| 1970s | 108 |
| 1980s | 98 |
| 1990s | 176 |
| 2000s | 191 |
| 2010s | 181 |
| 2020s | 52 |
Meaning & origin
Vaughan is a Welsh name that began its journey as a surname before becoming a given name. Its first recorded use as a first name in the United States was in 1911, and it reached its peak popularity in 1912. Since then, its usage has been on a declining trajectory, with a notable fall starting around 2006. In 2025, the name ranked 12,008, with an occurrence rate of about 1 in 341,615 boys. While never widely common, Vaughan retains a distinct cultural resonance in Welsh and English-speaking communities, often chosen for its heritage meaning.
Vaughan is an anglicized form of the Welsh surname derived from bychan, meaning 'little' or 'small'. Historically used as a descriptive byname, it became a common surname before being adopted as a given name, particularly in Wales and among the Welsh diaspora.
Nicknames & variants
Variants: Vaughn
Sibling names for Vaughan
Names that share Vaughan's style, for a brother or sister.
