Van
2025 SSA
About Van
Whether it's used as a short form or on its own, this jazzy midcentury name is poised for a comeback along with brothers Ray and Walt.
More often heard as a surname prefix (e.g. Vincent van Gogh, Dick Van Dyke), Van by itself has had some notable bearers, such as musician Van Cliburn (born Harvey Kevan) and actors Van Johnson (born Charles Van) and Van Heflin (born Emmett Evan). Because of its common connection to surnames, it makes for an interesting middle name option. Van reached as high as Number 265 in 1946.
Pronounced VAN.
As of October 2026, Van ranked #972 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #234 in 1891, Nameberry popularity #613.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank | Births | Per million |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #778 | 300 | 156.2 |
| 2015 | #827 | 273 | 142.4 |
| 2016 | #915 | 236 | 124.4 |
| 2017 | #908 | 236 | 127.5 |
| 2018 | #836 | 267 | 147 |
| 2019 | #866 | 257 | 143.2 |
| 2020 | #868 | 260 | 150.6 |
| 2021 | #876 | 265 | 151.5 |
| 2022 | #945 | 241 | 138 |
| 2023 | #910 | 255 | 149.1 |
| 2024 | #907 | 257 | 149.2 |
| 2025 | #972 | 236 | 138.2 |
World rankings
Similar names
These 20 names were selected by our users looking for other names like Van.
Van on lists
Famous Vans
- Sie George Ivan (Van) Morrison
Irish singer,songwriter
- (Charles) Van Dell Johnson
American actor
- Emmett Evan "Van" Heflin
American actor
- Harvey Lavan "Van" Cliburn
American pianist
- Ryan Evan "Van" McCann
English lead singer of Catfish and the Bottlemen
- Anthony Kapel "Van" Jones
American political activist and commentator
- Evan Vanfossen "Van" Hansis
American actor
- Van Harold Green
American NFL football player
- Van Nelson
American distance runner
- Van Tiffin
American NFL football player
- Trig Paxson Van Palin
son of politician Sarah Palin
- Edward "Eddie" Van Halen
Dutch,American rock guitarist
- Vincent Van Gogh
Dutch painter
Van in pop culture
- Van
a main character in the anime "Escaflowne," pronounced Von/Vaughn
- Van Montgomery
a main character on TV's "Reba"
- "National Lampoon's Van Wilder
" 2002 film about the title character
- Van Hohenheim
character in manga/anime, "Fullmetal Alchemist"
- Van
a large motor vehicle
- Van Delorey
character in Netflix's "American Vandal"