Vance
From a Southern English dialectal form of Old English fenn (“marsh, bog”).
Every Vance since 1880 — 27,150 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Vance
Vance is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #1,080 in 2025 with 200 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 27,150 American babies have been named Vance. Its peak came in 1969, when 555 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1960s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Vance stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Vance year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 200 | #1,080 |
| 2024 | — | — | 226 | #997 |
| 2023 | — | — | 237 | #955 |
| 2022 | — | — | 229 | #988 |
| 2021 | — | — | 242 | #935 |
| 2020 | — | — | 221 | #974 |
| 2019 | — | — | 245 | #894 |
| 2018 | — | — | 220 | #948 |
| 2017 | — | — | 265 | #836 |
| 2016 | — | — | 248 | #882 |
| 2015 | — | — | 318 | #759 |
| 2014 | — | — | 246 | #883 |
| 2013 | — | — | 245 | #869 |
| 2012 | — | — | 255 | #842 |
| 2011 | — | — | 300 | #756 |
| 2010 | — | — | 289 | #772 |
| 2009 | — | — | 294 | #776 |
| 2008 | — | — | 290 | #768 |
| 2007 | — | — | 318 | #723 |
| 2006 | — | — | 298 | #726 |
| 2005 | — | — | 261 | #762 |
| 2004 | — | — | 231 | #784 |
| 2003 | — | — | 242 | #744 |
| 2002 | — | — | 198 | #841 |
| 2001 | — | — | 170 | #920 |
| 2000 | — | — | 141 | #1,037 |
| 1995 | — | — | 162 | #852 |
| 1990 | — | — | 246 | #646 |
| 1985 | — | — | 162 | #692 |
| 1980 | — | — | 152 | #707 |
| 1975 | — | — | 166 | #628 |
| 1970 | — | — | 407 | #398 |
| 1965 | — | — | 384 | #402 |
| 1960 | — | — | 450 | #373 |
| 1955 | — | — | 321 | #410 |
| 1950 | — | — | 261 | #417 |
| 1945 | — | — | 208 | #417 |
| 1940 | — | — | 165 | #451 |
| 1935 | — | — | 143 | #475 |
| 1930 | 7 | #4,015 | 156 | #478 |
| 1925 | 5 | #5,712 | 186 | #441 |
| 1920 | 9 | #3,573 | 207 | #412 |
| 1915 | 9 | #3,115 | 132 | #487 |
| 1910 | — | — | 30 | #523 |
| 1905 | — | — | 26 | #429 |
| 1900 | — | — | 15 | #678 |
| 1895 | — | — | 26 | #382 |
| 1890 | — | — | 13 | #563 |
| 1885 | — | — | 12 | #576 |
| 1880 | — | — | 7 | #803 |
Famous people named Vance
- Vance D. Brand Astronaut · b. 1931
- Vance Joy Singer · b. 1987
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Vance mean?
From a Southern English dialectal form of Old English fenn (“marsh, bog”).
How popular is the name Vance in 2025?
Vance ranked #1,080 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 200 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Vance?
27,150 babies have been named Vance in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Vance most popular?
Vance peaked in 1969, when 555 newborns received the name.
Is Vance a boy or girl name?
Vance is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Vance rising or falling?
Vance has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Vance?
Well-known people named Vance include Vance D. Brand (astronaut), Vance Joy (singer).