Total births
434
Unisex name · since 1952
Vail
Vail has 434 recorded births since 1952 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2018 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #4920
- among girls today
- 434
- born since 1952
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 72%
- more common than other girls
434 babies have been named Vail since 1952, making it today's #4920 unisex name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Vail has been recorded 434 times among girls since 1952, currently ranked #4920 nationally and more common than 72% of girls, with its heaviest use in the 2010s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1952 to 2025.
- #4920 among girls today
- 434 born since 1952
- 2010s peak decade
- 72% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Vail is currently the #4920 unisex name in America, more common than 72% of girls - 434 born since 1952, peaking in the 2010s.
- #4920
- among girls today
- 434
- born since 1952
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 72%
- more common than other girls
Vail vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#4920
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 72% of names given to girls today.
2010s
Peak decade
54% of everyone ever named Vail was born in this single decade.
2018
Single peak year
53 babies were named Vail in 2018 - its busiest year on record.
How Vail compares
434 Top 47% higher than 53% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Vail's all-time total is 14% above the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Vail | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 434 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 53 | 48 | 19,840 |
Vail's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Vail splits its recorded history at 2015: 83% of all births land in the more recent half, 17% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1952 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2018 peak of 53 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Vail at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2018
Current rank
#4,920
Active since
1952
Vail popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1952–2025
- Peak year (2018)
- 53
- Annual births at peak, across 74 years of records
Vail popularity over time - boys
113 total births recorded since 1915 (Vail as boys' name)
Vail by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Vail's strongest decade.
235 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 54% of all-time use.
Vail births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1950s 5
1950s
5 births
- 1970s 5
1970s
5 births
- 1990s 6
1990s
6 births
- 2000s 36
2000s
36 births
- 2010s
2010s
235 births
- 2020s
2020s
147 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 235 births (54% of all-time use).
Vail by state
Where Vail concentrates geographically, total births since 1952
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 12 | 2.8% |
| #2 | Texas | | 10 | 2.3% |
| #3 | Colorado | | 7 | 1.6% |
| #4 | Pennsylvania | | 6 | 1.4% |
| #5 | Minnesota | | 5 | 1.2% |
California share of Vail's total US births 2.8%
Even split
12 of 434 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 5 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Vail? ▼
434 babies have been named Vail since 1952. It currently ranks #4920 among girls. The peak year was 2018 with 53 births.
When was Vail most popular? ▼
Vail was most popular in the 2010s decade with 235 total births. The single peak year was 2018.
Where is Vail most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Vail are California (12 births), Texas (10 births), Colorado (7 births).
Is Vail a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Vail is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 434 births, and as a boy's name it has 113 births.
How long has the name Vail been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Vail since 1952 -- 74 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Vail? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Vaishnavi, Vaida, Vaidehi, Vaishali, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Vail's data
- Vail's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (235 total births) through the 2020s (147) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Vails (12 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Vail
Nearby Names Like Vail
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Vail
Vaishnavi Girl
#5235 956 births
Vaida Girl
#3652 924 births
Vaidehi Girl
#7465 262 births
Vaishali Girl
204 births
Vaila Girl
#10144 76 births
Compare Vail side by side: Vail vs Vaishnavi Vail vs Vaida Vail vs Vaidehi
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Vail
Calli #4919
4,517 births · Peak 1999
Abigale #4921
5,892 births · Peak 2003
Darah #4918
1,085 births · Peak 1988
Analicia #4922
2,107 births · Peak 2007
Rani #4917
1,911 births · Peak 1971
Radhika #4923
1,128 births · Peak 2000
Rayleen #4916
1,255 births · Peak 2022
Joely #4924
1,820 births · Peak 1969
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1952–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Vail: #4920 Unisex Name - 434 Births, Peak 2018." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/vail. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Vail draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.