Vernon
Vernon is a boy's name of French origin.
Meaning
Place of alders, or alder tree grove.
Origin and history
Vernon is a masculine name derived from a French place name that originally meant 'alder grove'. It was introduced to England by the Normans and later became a common English surname and given name. Though it was widely popular in the U.S. during the early-to-mid 20th century, it has since become much less frequent.
Popularity in the United States
146,413 babies in the United States have been named Vernon since 1880. It ranks #235 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #1288.
States where it is most popular
- TX (6.7 %)
- IL (5.4 %)
- CA (5.1 %)
- OH (4.5 %)
- MO (4.1 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 636 |
| 1890-1900 | 1,215 |
| 1900-1910 | 2,053 |
| 1910-1920 | 16,967 |
| 1920-1930 | 29,432 |
| 1930-1940 | 22,197 |
| 1940-1950 | 20,038 |
| 1950-1960 | 20,133 |
| 1960-1970 | 14,409 |
| 1970-1980 | 7,722 |
| 1980-1990 | 5,375 |
| 1990-2000 | 2,839 |
| 2000-2010 | 1,562 |
| 2010-2019 | 1,160 |
| 2020-2029 | 675 |
Famous people named Vernon
- Vernon Davis: athlete, football player
- Vernon Wells: athlete, baseball player
Nicknames
Vern
Fun facts
- The name stems from the town of Vernon in Normandy, France, which derived from the Gaulish word for the alder tree.
- Vernon was a steady top 100 name for boys in the United States throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries.