Total births
11,497
Boys' name · since 1880
Vern
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 11,497 babies named Vern, peaking in 1920. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #10938
- among boys today
- 11,497
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 23%
- more common than other boys
11,497 babies have been named Vern since 1880, making it today's #10938 boys' name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Vern has been recorded 11,497 times among boys since 1880, currently ranked #10938 nationally and more common than 23% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 1920s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #10938 among boys today
- 11,497 born since 1880
- 1920s peak decade
- 23% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Vern is currently the #10938 boys' name in America, more common than 23% of boys - 11,497 born since 1880, peaking in the 1920s.
- #10938
- among boys today
- 11,497
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 23%
- more common than other boys
Vern vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#10938
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 23% of names given to boys today.
1920s
Peak decade
21% of everyone ever named Vern was born in this single decade.
1920
Single peak year
274 babies were named Vern in 1920 - its busiest year on record.
How Vern compares
11,497 Top 8% higher than 92% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys 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
Vern's all-time total is 31x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Vern | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 11,497 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 274 | 23 | 22,252 |
Vern's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Vern's full recorded timeline at 1946, 35% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 65% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 1998, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1920 peak of 274 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Vern at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1920
Current rank
#10,938
Active since
1880
Vern popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1920)
- 274
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Vern popularity over time - girls
485 total births recorded since 1890 (Vern as girls' name)
Vern by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Vern's strongest decade.
2,357 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 21% of all-time use.
Vern births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 244
1880s
244 births
- 1890s 350
1890s
350 births
- 1900s 355
1900s
355 births
- 1910s
1910s
1,538 births
- 1920s
1920s
2,357 births
- 1930s
1930s
1,683 births
- 1940s
1940s
1,591 births
- 1950s
1950s
1,611 births
- 1960s
1960s
984 births
- 1970s 368
1970s
368 births
- 1980s 214
1980s
214 births
- 1990s 107
1990s
107 births
- 2000s 45
2000s
45 births
- 2010s 15
2010s
15 births
- 2020s 35
2020s
35 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 2,357 births (21% of all-time use).
How Vern compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Vern's total volume
Vern vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Vern by state
Where Vern concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Michigan | | 1,042 | 9.1% |
| #2 | California | | 654 | 5.7% |
| #3 | Iowa | | 593 | 5.2% |
| #4 | Minnesota | | 503 | 4.4% |
| #5 | Illinois | | 478 | 4.2% |
| #6 | Washington | | 441 | 3.8% |
| #7 | Utah | | 425 | 3.7% |
| #8 | Nebraska | | 390 | 3.4% |
Michigan share of Vern's total US births 9.1%
Even split
1,042 of 11,497 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 28 reporting states.
Vern appears in 28 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Vern? ▼
11,497 babies have been named Vern since 1880. It currently ranks #10938 among boys. The peak year was 1920 with 274 births.
When was Vern most popular? ▼
Vern was most popular in the 1920s decade with 2,357 total births. The single peak year was 1920.
Where is Vern most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Vern are Michigan (1,042 births), California (654 births), Iowa (593 births).
How long has the name Vern been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Vern since 1880 -- 146 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Vern? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Vernon, Verne, Verlin, Vernell, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Vern's data
- Vern's decade-level peak was the 1920s (2,357 total births); usage has since declined to 35 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Michigan records the most Verns (1,042 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Michigan 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 Vern
Nearby Names Like Vern
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Vern
Vernon Boy
#1557 146,413 births
Verne Boy
5,841 births
Verlin Boy
#12409 3,812 births
Vernell Boy
3,344 births
Vernie Boy
2,760 births
Compare Vern side by side: Vern vs Vernon Vern vs Verne Vern vs Verlin
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Vern
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, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Vern: #10938 Boys' Name - 11,497 Births, Peak 1920." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/vern. 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 Vern 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.