Total births
146,413
Boys' name · since 1880
Vernon
Vernon has 146,413 recorded births since 1880 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1920 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #1557
- among boys today
- 146,413
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 89%
- more common than other boys
Vernon currently ranks #1557 among boys' names in America, with 146,413 babies recorded since 1880.
Vernon has 146,413 recorded births among boys since 1880, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #1557 as of the latest data, more common than 89% of boys, busiest in the 1920s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #1557 among boys today
- 146,413 born since 1880
- 1920s peak decade
- 89% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Vernon is currently the #1557 boys' name in America, more common than 89% of boys - 146,413 born since 1880, peaking in the 1920s.
- #1557
- among boys today
- 146,413
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 89%
- more common than other boys
Vernon vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#1557
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 89% of names given to boys today.
1920s
Peak decade
20% of everyone ever named Vernon was born in this single decade.
1920
Single peak year
3,144 babies were named Vernon in 1920 - its busiest year on record.
How Vernon compares
146,413 Top 2% higher than 98% 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
Vernon's all-time total is 399x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Vernon | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 146,413 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 3,144 | 23 | 22,252 |
Vernon's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Vernon's full recorded timeline at 1953, 33% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 67% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 1883, with just 46 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1920 peak of 3,144 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Vernon at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1920
Current rank
#1,557
Active since
1880
Vernon popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1920)
- 3,144
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Vernon popularity over time - girls
1,976 total births recorded since 1881 (Vernon as girls' name)
Vernon by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Vernon's strongest decade.
29,432 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 20% of all-time use.
Vernon births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 636
1880s
636 births
- 1890s 1,215
1890s
1,215 births
- 1900s 2,053
1900s
2,053 births
- 1910s
1910s
16,967 births
- 1920s
1920s
29,432 births
- 1930s
1930s
22,197 births
- 1940s
1940s
20,038 births
- 1950s
1950s
20,133 births
- 1960s
1960s
14,409 births
- 1970s 7,722
1970s
7,722 births
- 1980s 5,375
1980s
5,375 births
- 1990s 2,839
1990s
2,839 births
- 2000s 1,562
2000s
1,562 births
- 2010s 1,160
2010s
1,160 births
- 2020s 675
2020s
675 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 29,432 births (20% of all-time use).
How Vernon 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 Vernon's total volume
Vernon vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Vernon by state
Where Vernon concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 9,322 | 6.4% |
| #2 | Illinois | | 7,477 | 5.1% |
| #3 | California | | 7,134 | 4.9% |
| #4 | Ohio | | 6,293 | 4.3% |
| #5 | Missouri | | 5,727 | 3.9% |
| #6 | Minnesota | | 5,402 | 3.7% |
| #7 | Pennsylvania | | 5,231 | 3.6% |
| #8 | North Carolina | | 5,224 | 3.6% |
Texas share of Vernon's total US births 6.4%
Even split
9,322 of 146,413 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 51 reporting states.
Vernon appears in 51 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Vernon? ▼
Vernon has been given to 146,413 babies in the U.S. since 1880, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #1557 as of the latest data. 3,144 babies were born in 1920, its single highest year.
When was Vernon most popular? ▼
Vernon was most popular in the 1920s decade with 29,432 total births. The single peak year was 1920.
Where is Vernon most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Vernon are Texas (9,322 births), Illinois (7,477 births), California (7,134 births).
How long has the name Vernon been used? ▼
Records for Vernon go back to 1880, giving 146 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Vernon? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Vern, Verne, Verlin, Vernell, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Vernon's data
- Vernon's decade-level peak was the 1920s (29,432 total births); usage has since declined to 675 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Vernons (9,322 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas 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 Vernon
Nearby Names Like Vernon
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Vernon
Vern Boy
#10938 11,497 births
Verne Boy
5,841 births
Verlin Boy
#12409 3,812 births
Vernell Boy
3,344 births
Vernie Boy
2,760 births
Compare Vernon side by side: Vernon vs Vern Vernon vs Verne Vernon vs Verlin
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Vernon
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. "Vernon: #1557 Boys' Name - 146,413 Births, Peak 1920." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/vernon. 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 Vernon 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.