boy's name
Van
- Origin Dutch
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 1
- Letters 3
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 32,653
the United States
#971
2025 births
Van is a boy's name with 1 syllable. In 2025 it was given to 244 babies in the United States, ranking #971. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
- Van is a name of Dutch origin.
- Peaked in 1953, when 591 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 13,588 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 1 syllable, with the stress on syllable 1.
Van over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 362 |
| 1890s | 363 |
| 1900s | 386 |
| 1910s | 1,344 |
| 1920s | 2,272 |
| 1930s | 2,036 |
| 1940s | 3,873 |
| 1950s | 5,280 |
| 1960s | 4,077 |
| 1970s | 1,852 |
| 1980s | 1,824 |
| 1990s | 1,209 |
| 2000s | 1,909 |
| 2010s | 2,834 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 1,573 |
How popular is Van?
In 2025, Van was given to 244 babies in the United States, ranking #971 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Where Van is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
How Van is spelled
Birth registers count each spelling separately, so every one has its own ranking.
| Spelling | What it is | Births on record |
|---|---|---|
| Vân | Vân is a rare spelling of Van, written with a circumflex and recorded about 5 times, mostly in France. | 5 |
Names that peaked alongside Van
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Van also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Van over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Sibling names for Van
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Van — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Van
How popular is the name Van?
In 2025, Van was given to 244 babies in the United States, ranking #971 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Is Van a girl's or a boy's name?
Van is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Van?
Van has 1 syllable.
When was Van most popular?
Van peaked in 1953, when 591 babies were given the name. Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
Is Van a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Van currently ranks #971 in the United States. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.