Vaughan
Boy name · English · Scottish · Welsh
Meaningsmall, little · Welsh
- US rank
- #12,008
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #1,417 in 1912
5 babies were named Vaughan in the US in 2025. It has dropped 3,941 places in five years.
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million girls, 1939–2025
US births per million boys, 1911–2025
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Vaughan you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Vaughan
Vaughan Jones
New Zealand mathematician and Fields Medalist (1952–2020)
Choose Vaughan and your child shares a first name with Vaughan Jones, a New Zealand mathematician and Fields Medalist. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Vaughan, like who?” Vaughan Jones's Wikipedia article is available in 34 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Vaughan Jones on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: David Monniaux, CC BY-SA 3.0 (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 344,828 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Vaughan, 5 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Vaughan would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryVaughan first shows up in US birth records in 1911, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 114 years since.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 1912, when it ranked #1,417. Today it's #12,008, so it could be due a comeback.
- Then vs nowVaughan was 4.0× more common in 2000 than it is today. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 85,470 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 344,828.
- TrendVaughan has slipped 3,941 places over the last five years and now sits at #12,008. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
- MeaningIn Welsh, Vaughan means “small, little”. Our records link it to English, Scottish and Welsh roots.
About the name Vaughan
Vaughan is a boy name of English, Scottish and Welsh origin meaning “small, little”. It has 7 letters and 2 syllables, starting with V and ending in “-han”. US birth records list Vaughan for boys from 1911 to 2025, in 114 of those 115 years. Its best year was 1912, when it ranked #1,417 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #12,008, with 5 babies.
Origin:English namesScottish namesWelsh names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1930s | 4.6 | 217,391 girls |
| 1940s | 0.3 | 3,448,276 girls |
| 2010s | 1.0 | 1,044,776 girls |
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 19 | 52,295 boys |
| 1920s | 12 | 81,037 boys |
| 1930s | 8.9 | 111,982 boys |
| 1940s | 10 | 95,420 boys |
| 1950s | 7.9 | 125,945 boys |
| 1960s | 7.6 | 131,579 boys |
| 1970s | 6.5 | 152,905 boys |
| 1980s | 5.3 | 187,617 boys |
| 1990s | 9.1 | 110,375 boys |
| 2000s | 9.5 | 105,042 boys |
| 2010s | 9.6 | 103,950 boys |
| 2020s | 5.0 | 199,336 boys |
More English boy names
- Boy name: Oliver · olive tree
- Boy name: Henry · ruler of the home
- Unisex name: James · supplanter
- Boy name: William · resolute protector
- Boy name: Benjamin · son of the right hand
- Boy name: Jack · God is gracious
- Unisex name: Hudson · son of Hudde
- Unisex name: Julian · of the Julius family
Questions about the name Vaughan
What does the name Vaughan mean?
Vaughan means “small, little” in Welsh.
What is the origin of the name Vaughan?
Vaughan has English, Scottish, Welsh roots in our records. Other English names include Oliver, Henry, James.
Is Vaughan a boy or girl name?
Vaughan is a boy name.
How popular is the name Vaughan?
Vaughan ranked #12,008 for US boys in 2025, given to 5 babies. Its best year was 1912 (#1,417).