Vernon
Vernon was the 1387th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 133 babies. Its best year was 1919, when it ranked 65th; the most babies were born in 1920 (3,144). Over the last ten years it has moved up 158 places. More babies were named Vernon in the 1920s than in any other decade.
Meaning place of alders (Gaulish) · French, Gaulish
Say it VUR-nun /ˈvɝnən/
- Rank in 2025
- #1,387 boys, up 483 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 133boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 19203,144 babies
- Total since 1880
- 148,389babies recorded
What does the name Vernon mean?
Vernon comes from Vernon, a place name in Normandy, from Gaulish verno- 'alder' and a place suffix, so 'place of alder trees', as Wiktionary notes. The Norman family de Vernon took it to England. George Washington's estate Mount Vernon was named after Admiral Edward Vernon, under whom his half-brother served. It became a first name in the 19th century and was common in the US around 1900-1920.
verno- (Gaulish, “alder”)
How sure is this? Well established.
See also: Celtic names, names that mean tree, names from places.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Vernon', Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- US Social Security Administration, national baby-name data 1880-2025 (our computation), SSA (public domain)
Nicknames for Vernon
The usual nicknames for Vernon are Vern.
| Nickname | Kind | Rank 2025 | Boys, 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vern | Traditional | #10,607 | 35 |
Nicknames reviewed by our editors; counts are boys given the nickname as their legal first name. Nobody records how many Vernons go by each one.
Vernon popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 1,976 since 1881.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,387 | 133 |
| 2020 | #1,870 | 80 |
| 2010 | #1,266 | 138 |
| 2000 | #820 | 196 |
| 1990 | #489 | 394 |
| 1980 | #290 | 707 |
| 1970 | #224 | 1,086 |
| 1960 | #173 | 1,830 |
| 1950 | #134 | 2,006 |
| 1940 | #105 | 1,941 |
| 1930 | #72 | 2,703 |
| 1920 | #65 | 3,144 |
| 1910 | #94 | 351 |
| 1900 | #133 | 170 |
| 1890 | #171 | 83 |
| 1880 | #214 | 56 |
How popular is Vernon, counting every spelling?
Vernon has no other common spelling that sounds the same. Counting every name's spellings together, it ranks #1,322 for boys in 2025, against #1,387 on the official list.
How many kids will share the name Vernon?
133 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Vernon (0.04 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Vernon born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 63 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Vernon.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Vernon?
About 54,100 people born in the US named Vernon are alive today, with a median age of 65; half are between 51 and 75. That makes Vernon a name most people associate with older generations.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Vernon by state
How common Vernon was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Minnesota (4.1×), Wisconsin (3.5×), Ohio (2.5×), Michigan (1.6×). In 34 states fewer than five boys a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Vernon: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Vernon, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Vernon · Sibling names for Vernon
Questions about the name Vernon
What does Vernon mean?
Vernon means “place of alders (Gaulish)” (French, Gaulish origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Vernon?
Vernon was the 1387th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 133 babies. Its best year was 1919, when it ranked 65th; the most babies were born in 1920 (3,144). Over the last ten years it has moved up 158 places. More babies were named Vernon in the 1920s than in any other decade.
Is Vernon a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Vernon in the US.
Where is Vernon most popular?
In 2021–2025, Vernon was most common in Minnesota (0.28 per 1,000 boys), followed by Wisconsin and Ohio.