Vaughn Boy

Popularity: #756 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: Vawn //vɔːn//

Origin: Welsh; English

Meaning: Welsh: small; English: from the place name

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Vaughn has its roots in the Welsh language, derived from the word "bychan," which means "little" or "small." This term evolved into the surname "Vaughan," which was used to denote a person of small stature or a younger son in a family. The transition from the surname to a given name occurred as naming conventions evolved, particularly during the 19th century when surnames began to be adopted as first names in English-speaking cultures.

The name Vaughn, as a variant of Vaughan, entered the English lexicon through this process, maintaining its Welsh heritage while adapting to English phonetics. Historically, the name Vaughan can be traced back to notable figures in Welsh history, including individuals who played significant roles in the medieval period.

The surname was borne by various Welsh nobility and landowners, contributing to its prominence in Welsh culture. The name appears in historical records from the 12th century onward, with various spellings and forms documented in Welsh genealogies.

The use of Vaughan in literature and historical texts further solidified its place in cultural memory, particularly in Wales and among Welsh descendants. Culturally, Vaughn carries connotations of humility and modesty, reflecting its original meaning of "little." This aspect has allowed the name to resonate with themes of gentleness and simplicity throughout its history.

Additionally, the name has been associated with various artistic and literary figures, enhancing its cultural significance. The diminutive form "Vaughn" has also been embraced in various contexts, often used affectionately or informally.

Overall, the name Vaughn encapsulates a rich linguistic and cultural heritage, bridging Welsh origins with broader English usage.

Famous people named Vaughn

In this section, you will find notable people named Vaughn. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Vaughn who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Vaughn who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Vaughn Monroe was a singer and bandleader best known for his hits Ghost Riders in the Sky, Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!, and the Vaughn Monroe Orchestra.

Vaughn R. Walker is a retired judge best known for presiding over the federal district court in California and ruling on significant cases including Proposition 8.

Fictional characters named Vaughn

The following list of fictional characters named Vaughn is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Vaughn is a fictional character from the video game series Mass Effect. He is a member of the Cerberus organization and plays a significant role in the events of Mass Effect 2 and 3.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Vaughn, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

EthanGavinLoganRyanDylanLiam

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Vaughn. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

VanceVanVaughanVictorVincentValenViggoVito

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Vaughn was first seen in the United States in 1881.

Vaughn has ranked as high as #751 nationally, which occurred in 1949, and has been most popular in California, Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, and Michigan.

In the past 5 years the name Vaughn has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Vaughn is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Vaughn was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Vaughn.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 204 183 21
2024 189 174 15
2023 182 165 17
2022 200 176 24
2021 207 183 24
2020 197 180 17
2019 213 191 22
2018 212 188 24
2017 236 216 20
2016 285 261 24
2015 265 251 14
2014 252 226 26
2013 268 247 21
2012 257 245 12
2011 234 226 8
2010 232 215 17
2009 284 270 14
2008 269 254 15
2007 316 306 10
2006 304 290 14
2005 254 254 0
2004 235 230 5
2003 231 219 12
2002 179 172 7
2001 169 161 8
2000 176 169 7
1999 168 162 6
1998 174 167 7
1997 156 149 7
1996 145 140 5
1995 143 143 0
1994 221 214 7
1993 183 174 9
1992 193 188 5
1991 193 181 12
1990 190 184 6
1989 168 168 0
1988 145 140 5
1987 181 181 0
1986 148 142 6
1985 130 130 0
1984 141 136 5
1983 124 124 0
1982 126 126 0
1981 145 140 5
1980 174 166 8
1979 131 131 0
1978 137 137 0
1977 141 136 5
1976 134 127 7
1975 148 148 0
1974 141 141 0
1973 156 156 0
1972 192 192 0
1971 217 209 8
1970 234 229 5
1969 245 236 9
1968 252 246 6
1967 258 249 9
1966 275 267 8
1965 294 289 5
1964 289 279 10
1963 268 268 0
1962 264 254 10
1961 223 214 9
1960 255 246 9
1959 224 212 12
1958 222 213 9
1957 206 198 8
1956 225 218 7
1955 233 217 16
1954 245 237 8
1953 246 239 7
1952 266 252 14
1951 303 297 6
1950 355 349 6
1949 385 374 11
1948 368 356 12
1947 364 354 10
1946 303 295 8
1945 195 184 11
1944 187 179 8
1943 214 203 11
1942 181 166 15
1941 141 131 10
1940 146 140 6
1939 140 120 20
1938 147 134 13
1937 129 107 22
1936 139 118 21
1935 150 141 9
1934 144 131 13
1933 121 103 18
1932 146 128 18
1931 159 132 27
1930 166 149 17
1929 130 123 7
1928 151 139 12
1927 130 121 9
1926 122 115 7
1925 140 140 0
1924 124 116 8
1923 137 130 7
1922 134 123 11
1921 147 133 14
1920 133 122 11
1919 109 99 10
1918 141 141 0
1917 127 119 8
1916 139 122 17
1915 124 119 5
1914 92 85 7
1913 72 67 5
1912 54 54 0
1911 33 28 5
1910 17 17 0
1909 16 16 0
1908 18 12 6
1907 14 14 0
1906 20 20 0
1905 16 16 0
1904 17 17 0
1903 14 14 0
1902 13 13 0
1901 15 8 7
1900 12 12 0
1899 7 7 0
1898 6 6 0
1897 9 9 0
1895 7 7 0
1894 12 12 0
1893 8 8 0
1892 6 6 0
1891 6 6 0
1888 5 5 0
1881 5 5 0

Top States for Vaughn (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 17
14%
TX 16
13%
PA 9
7%
IL 9
7%
MI 9
7%
NY 8
7%
MN 8
7%
FL 7
6%
CO 7
6%
GA 6
5%
UT 6
5%
MO 5
4%
MA 5
4%
VA 5
4%
WI 5
4%