Vernon
Boy nameVernon has been given to 148,389 babies in the U.S. since 1880. It peaked in 1920.
Meaning & origin /ˈvɝnən/
From Transalpine Gaulish uerna (“alder”) (from Proto-Celtic *wernā, from Proto-Indo-European *wern-) + -o, -onis (locative suffix, literally “place of alder trees”).
Origin: surnames
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Popularity over time births per year, 1880–2025
Total babies
148,389
Peak year
1920 (3,199 babies)
Rank in 2025
Below top 1000
First recorded
1880
10-year trend
▲ +25%
Gender split
1% girls / 99% boys
Rank through the decades
Vernon's rank among U.S. boy names at 25-year milestones.
| Year | Girls rank | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | #966 | #133 |
| 1925 | — | #67 |
| 1950 | — | #134 |
| 1975 | — | #278 |
| 2000 | — | #820 |
— means outside the top 1000 that year.
Famous people named Vernon
Vernon L. Smith
American economist
David Koresh
American religious sect leader of Branch Davidians (1959-1993)
Eddie Rickenbacker
United States Army Medal of Honor recipient (1890–1973)
Notability data from Wikidata (CC0).
Names with a similar vibe
Same primary gender, peaked around the same years, and roughly as common as Vernon.
FAQ
How popular is the name Vernon?
Vernon has been given to 148,389 babies in the U.S. since 1880. It ranked below the top 1000 in 2025.
When did the name Vernon peak?
Vernon peaked in 1920, when 3,199 babies were given the name.
Is Vernon a girl or boy name?
Vernon is primarily a boy name (99% of babies named Vernon are boys).
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