Boy names that start with V are a small, sharply drawn group. Latin classics like Victor and Vincent sit beside Slavic, Sanskrit, and Scandinavian picks most people have never met.
The numbers show how narrow the field is. Vincent ranked 107th for U.S. boys in 2025 and Victor 211th, while 41 of the 100 names below have never been given to five American boys in a single year (1).
Every name here carries its meaning, origin, and pronunciation, plus namesakes where they exist and current U.S. popularity wherever the federal data records it. Read straight through or use the filter to jump.
Popularity at a Glance
The most popular names on this list in the United States, 1965 to 2025: Vivian, Vincent, Victor, Valentino and Valentin.
100 Cool Male Names for Boys That Start with V
Names run alphabetically, from Vachell to Vung, with current U.S. popularity on every one the federal data records.
Vachell
Vachell means “small cow” in French, which sounds sweeter than the working sense behind it: a cowherd. The Dutch side of its family tree links it to Wachtell, a boy’s name meaning “quail.” It is a farmyard name in the gentlest possible way, and the soft ending keeps it from feeling stern.
- Origin: French
- Meaning: Small cow
- Pronunciation: VAEY-chehl
- Variations: Vachel
- Popularity: U.S. federal birth records have never listed Vachell, which means fewer than five American boys a year are given it; the surname form turns up mostly in England.
Vaclav
Vaclav carries the sense of a wreath of glory, and more than one Bohemian king wore it. It is the Slavic equivalent of Wenceslaus, the Wenceslas of the carol, and Czech families still use it as the everyday form of Venceslav. Say it VAE-Klaav and it lands with weight rather than fuss. For parents drawn to Central European history, few V names sit closer to the source.
- Origin: Slavic
- Meaning: More glory
- Pronunciation: VAE-Klaav
- Variations: Vyachaslav
- Namesakes: Václav Havel, the last president of Czechoslovakia from 1989 to 1992. Václav Varaďa, a Czech ice hockey player for the Buffalo Sabres.
- Popularity: Vaclav shows up in U.S. birth data only around World War I, last at 4,929th in 1921, with roughly 10 American boys recorded in all.
Vader
Vader is simply the Dutch word for father, used since the Middle Ages as a mark of respect for an elder. Most American ears will hear Star Wars first, since Darth Vader reads as dark father in Dutch. That association is either the whole appeal or the whole problem, depending on the household. If you love the sound and not the cape, Vader also works as a short middle name.
- Origin: Dutch
- Meaning: Father
- Pronunciation: VEY-Der
- Variations: Vadar
- Popularity: Vader entered U.S. records in 2012 and was last listed in 2023 at 14,038th, with about 21 American boys recorded since.
Vadim
Vadim traces back to the Slavic volod, meaning to rule, and it has the clipped, confident sound Russian names do so well. A second thread ties it to vaditi, meaning to argue, accuse, or blame, which gives it a stubborn streak. Both readings suit a boy with opinions.
- Origin: Russian
- Meaning: Powerful ruler
- Pronunciation: Vaa-DIYM
- Variations: Vadym, Vadzim
- Namesakes: Vadim Evseev, a Russian football manager for FC Fakel Voronezh. Vadim Tikunov, the Russian Minister of Internal Affairs between 1961 and 1966.
- Popularity: Vadim ranked 11,893rd for U.S. boys in 2025 with six births, down about 29% on the previous decade and far off its 2002 high of 3,342nd.
Vahe
Vahe belongs almost entirely to Armenia, where it is read as best, and it also carries the senses of shield and victor. Two syllables, VAA-hey, and it is done: no nicknames needed, nothing to spell twice. It is a strong choice for a family with Armenian roots who want something unmistakably theirs.
- Origin: Armenian
- Meaning: Victor
- Pronunciation: VAA-hey
- Variations: Vahey, Vahi, Vahie
- Namesakes: Vahé Katcha, a French-Armenian author best known for the novel L’Hameçon. Vahe Tadevosyan, an Armenian footballer for the U-21 side.
- Popularity: Vahe last appeared in U.S. data in 2024 at 12,249th with six births; its best American showing was 3,232nd, back in 1922.
Vaibhav
Vaibhav gathers up a set of good wishes rather than one meaning, running from fortunate and happy through to intelligent. It is also one of the names of Lord Vishnu in Hindu tradition, which gives it real standing. The VAEYB-haev sound is unusual in English-speaking playgrounds without being hard to say.
- Origin: Indian, Sanskrit
- Meaning: Richness
- Pronunciation: VAEYB-haev
- Variations: Vabhav, Vaybhav
- Namesakes: Vaibhav Mangle, an Indian actor known for the series Shejari Shejari Pakke Shejari. Vaibhav Naik, an Indian member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly since 2014.
- Popularity: Vaibhav ranked 5,830th for U.S. boys in 2025 with 16 births, about half its rate in the previous decade and below its 2011 high of 2,744th.
Vaile
Vaile is one of many vintage variations on the Old English Vail. It was first a surname for a “dweller in the valley.” Vaile means “valley” or “valley with a stream,” where your little guy might like to play.
- Origin: English
- Meaning: Valley
- Pronunciation: VEYL
- Variations: Vail, Vale, Valle, Vayl
- Popularity: Vaile has surfaced in U.S. records exactly once, in 2015, when five babies received it and it ranked 18,925th.
Vajezatha
Vajezatha is one of the most ancient and rare male names that start with V. It may have either Persian or Hebrew origins, but it occurs in the Bible for a son of Haman in the Book of Esther.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Sprinkling the chamber
- Pronunciation: Vah-HEE-zah-Thah
- Variations: Vaizatha, Vayezatha, Vayzatha
- Popularity: Vajezatha has never crossed the five-births floor that U.S. birth data publishes, so no American ranking exists for it.
Val
Val is the short form doing the work of several longer names, Valentine, Valen, and Valens among them. It goes back to the Latin Vantinus and carries the senses of strong and healthy, with high hill as a bonus reading. Girls named Valerie borrow it too, so it sits comfortably in the middle of the boy-girl line. As a nickname it is friendly; as a full legal name it is unexpectedly plain-spoken.
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: Valiant
- Pronunciation: VAEL
- Variations: Valle
- Namesakes: Val Kilmer, an American actor best known for Oliver Stone’s The Doors (1991). Val Peterson, the 26th governor of Nebraska from 1947 to 1953.
- Popularity: Val ranked 4,692nd for U.S. boys in 2025 with 22 births. That is a long way from its 1952 high of 527th, though the name is up about 56% on the previous decade.
Valentin
Valentin is the eastern cousin of Valentine, built on the Latin valens, meaning vigorous, powerful, and healthy. It is mostly a Russian formation, and Saint Valentin is the same saint under a slightly different spelling. The stress lands at the end, Vaa-liyn-TIYN, which keeps it from sounding like a greeting card. Parents who like Valentine but not the February association tend to end up here.
- Origin: Russian, Latin
- Meaning: Strong
- Pronunciation: Vaa-liyn-TIYN
- Variations: Valentine
- Namesakes: Valentin Dzhavelkov, a Bulgarian pentathlete who competed at the 1992 Summer Olympics. Valentin Teodosiu, a Romanian actor and the voice of the channel ProTV since 1995.
- Popularity: Valentin ranked 660th for U.S. boys in 2025, and the 418 births it recorded that year are the most in its history.
Valentino
Valentino is the Italian and Spanish take on Valentine, still meaning strong and healthy. It doubles as a surname, best known from the silent film star Rudolph Valentino, so it arrives with a certain amount of style already attached. Vale and Tino are the ready-made nicknames if the full four syllables feel like a lot for a toddler.
- Origin: Italian, Latin
- Meaning: Brave
- Pronunciation: Vaa-lehn-TIY-Now
- Variations: Valentine, Valentin
- Namesakes: Valentino Lanús, a Mexican actor appearing in the series María Isabel (1997). Valentino Bompiani, an Italian publisher with 17 Nobel Prize winners by 1992.
- Popularity: Valentino reached its best U.S. rank on record in 2025, 444th with 710 births, up about 106% on the previous decade.
Valerian
Valerian is a close relative of the Roman Valerianus, itself from Valerius. Saint Valerianus was Bishop of Auxerre, and a third-century Roman emperor answered to the name as well. Valerian root, the herb associated with sleep, shares the word, which gives the name an unexpectedly calming echo. It is ornate without tipping into fantasy-novel territory.
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: Strong
- Pronunciation: Vah-LEHR-iy-Ahn
- Variations: Valerien, Valeryan
- Namesakes: Valerian Gârlă, a Romanian footballer for SpVgg Ingelheim. Valerian Zorin, a Soviet diplomat known for confronting Adlai Stevenson during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
- Popularity: Valerian is the fastest riser on this list, up about 229% comparing the last 10 years of U.S. births with the 10 years before them, and it ranked 4,526th in 2025 with 23 births.
Valfredo
Despite its Italian-sounding appearance, Valfredo ultimately derives from Alfred, meaning “elf counselor” in Old German. It’s also sometimes associated with the German Willifred, meaning “desire for peace (or friendship).”
- Origin: Italian, German
- Meaning: Peaceful king
- Pronunciation: Vael-FREY-dow
- Variations: Valfryd
- Popularity: Valfredo has never appeared in U.S. birth data, which lists only names given to at least five babies in a year.
Valmeeki
Valmeeki represents the most obscure spelling of Valmiki, the “saint who wrote Ramayan.” Ramayan is the first epic poem in Hindi that inspired this ornate example of boy names that start with V.
- Origin: Indian, Sanskrit
- Meaning: Name of a poet
- Pronunciation: Vaal-MIY-kiy
- Variations: Valmiki, Vaalmeeki
- Popularity: No U.S. ranking exists for Valmeeki, the rarest of the spellings, since the federal files have never recorded five American boys with it in one year.
Valmiki
Valmiki is another name for the Hindu god Vishnu and is one of the more spiritual V names for boys. It’s also the name of an Indian poet, the ancient author of the Sanskrit epic poem Ramayana.
- Origin: Indian, Sanskrit
- Meaning: Name of a poet
- Pronunciation: Vaal-MIY-kiy
- Popularity: Valmiki sits below the publication floor for U.S. birth data, so the name carries no American ranking.
Van
Van began as the English surname Vance, meaning marshland, and it also means of in Dutch, where it opens hundreds of traditional surnames. As a first name it doubles as the short form of Vance, Evan, or Ivan, which are always there if the single syllable ever feels too plain.
- Origin: English, Dutch
- Meaning: Marshland
- Pronunciation: VAEN
- Variations: Vann
- Namesakes: Van Morrison, a Northern Irish singer best known for the 1967 song, Brown Eyed Girl. Van Patrick, an American sportscaster for the Detroit Tigers.
- Popularity: Van ranked 972nd for U.S. boys in 2025 with 236 births, holding steady decades after its 1946 peak at 265th.
Vance
Vance goes back to the Old English fenn, meaning marshland, so it belongs to the same watery family as Venn. In Scotland it took hold as a surname tied to the Norman de Vaux clan. It is crisp, it is easy to spell, and it has never been common enough to feel worn out.
- Origin: English, Scottish
- Meaning: Marshland
- Pronunciation: VAENS
- Variations: Vans, Vanse
- Namesakes: Vance Joy, an Australian musician known for the 2013 song Riptide. Vance Worley, an American baseball player for the Philadelphia Phillies.
- Popularity: Vance ranked 1,080th for U.S. boys in 2025 with 200 births, easing off the 328th it reached in 1969.
Vander
Vander is Evander with the first syllable trimmed away, and it means good man. The root is the Greek Evandros, from andros, meaning manly. In Roman mythology Evander is the son of Hermes, which gives the shortened form a long shadow. It reads as modern in the U.S. even though the pieces are ancient.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Goodman
- Pronunciation: VAEND-er
- Variations: Vandar, Vandor
- Namesakes: Vander Vieira, a Brazilian footballer for Ethnikos Achna. Vander Blue, an American basketball player for Al Sadd Doha.
- Popularity: Vander posted its best U.S. rank on record in 2025, 1,357th with 139 births, up about 91% on the previous decade.
Vandyke
Vandyke is a stylish example of boy names with V, also used as a surname. It means “of the dike” in Dutch and was used for someone who lived near the many dykes of the Netherlands. Vandyke is famously the surname of the Dutch painter Van Dijck.
- Origin: Dutch
- Meaning: Of the dyke
- Pronunciation: Van-DAEYK
- Variations: Van Dyke, Van Dijck, Van Dyck
- Popularity: U.S. birth records have never listed Vandyke; it survives far more often as a surname than a first name.
Vanek
Vanek was first a Czech surname, as a pet form of Václav or Veceslav. It’s composed of the Old Slavic “viece,” meaning “greater” and “slav,” meaning “glory”. Vanek is also a Russian form of John that means “God is gracious” in Hebrew.
- Origin: Slavic, Hebrew
- Meaning: Greater glory
- Pronunciation: Vae-NEHK
- Variations: Wanek
- Popularity: Vanek has never met the five-births threshold U.S. data publishes, so no American ranking exists for it.
Vangelis
Vangelis comes from the Greek Evangelos and carries the sense of good tidings and good messenger. Its first meaning was the bearer of good news. Its name day is Mar. 25, the date of the Christian annunciation. Greek families shorten it without ceremony, and English speakers usually land on VAEN-gih-Liyz after one try.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Good news
- Pronunciation: VAEN-gih-Liyz
- Variations: Vaggelis
- Namesakes: Vangelis, a Mexican wrestler with Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre. Vangelis Kazan, a Greek actor awarded Best Actor at the 1975 Thessaloniki Film Festival.
- Popularity: Vangelis has never appeared in U.S. birth records, though it is familiar in Greece.
Vaniah
Vaniah also means “weapons of the Lord,” which relates to the biblical figure named Vaniah in the Book of Ezra. It may be associated with the Arabic “yada,” meaning “to praise,” and is most often used for girls today.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Nourishment
- Pronunciation: Vaan-NIY-Ah
- Variations: Vania
- Popularity: Vaniah last appeared in U.S. data in 2018 at 13,709th with seven births, after peaking at 10,903rd in 2014.
Vanja
Vanya is a beloved diminutive for the Russian and Slavic Ivan. Ivan is the Slavic version of John, but Vanja is a mostly Serbo-Croatian spelling for the Russian Vanya. It’s best known for Anton Chekhov’s play Uncle Vanya.
- Origin: Croatian, Slavic
- Meaning: God is gracious
- Pronunciation: VAEN-Yaa
- Variations: Vanya, Vania
- Namesakes: Vanja Drach, a Croatian actor at the National Theatre in Zagreb. Vanja Milinković-Savić, a Serbian footballer for Torino.
- Popularity: Vanja shows up in U.S. records exactly once, in 2003, at 18,301st with five births.
Vanko
Unlike Vanya, Vanko is a great example of a guy name that starts with V, that’s less known. It derives from the Ukrainian “yôchânân,” which originates as a version of Ivan or John in Hebrew and Greek.
- Origin: Ukrainian
- Meaning: God’s gift
- Pronunciation: VAENG-Kow
- Popularity: No American ranking exists for Vanko, which has never been given to five U.S. boys in a single year.
Varden
Varden was once a French surname for a “green knoll,” or grassy area that appeared as Vardon. It’s an Armenian boy’s name linked to Saint Vardanan, a national hero and a martyr of the Armenian Church.
- Origin: French
- Meaning: From the green hill
- Pronunciation: VAAR-Dehn
- Variations: Vardan, Verdon
- Popularity: Varden appears in U.S. birth data for exactly one year, 1919, when it ranked 4,765th.
Vasco
Vasco means Basque, and it plays the alphabet trick English speakers never expect: the V is pronounced closer to a B. It connects to the Spanish Velasco and carries a second sense of crow in Basque. The best-known bearer is the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama, which is a lot of momentum for two syllables.
- Origin: Spanish
- Meaning: Basque
- Pronunciation: BAAS-Kow
- Namesakes: Vasco Santana, a Portuguese silent film actor appearing in A Canção de Lisboa, in 1933. Vasco Joaquim Rocha Vieira, the last Governor of Macau from 1991 to 1999.
- Popularity: Vasco ranked 6,424th for U.S. boys in 2025 with 14 births, up modestly on the previous decade; its best American year was 1916, at 1,762nd.
Vasilios
Vasilios may be one of the original forms of Basil, meaning kingly in Greek. The line runs Vasileios to Basileus to Basil, which means the version most people know is the one furthest from the start. Choosing Vasilios is choosing the older, longer, more Greek end of that chain. Vasilis is the everyday short form if the full name feels formal.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Royal
- Pronunciation: Vae-SIH-liy-Ows
- Variations: Vasileios, Vasileos, Vassilios, Vasilis
- Namesakes: Vasilios Magginas, a member of the Greek Parliament from 1993 to 2007. Vasilios Koutsianikoulis, a Greek footballer for Trikala.
- Popularity: Vasilios ranked 5,377th in 2025 with 18 U.S. births, down about 26% on the previous decade and well below its 1975 high of 1,301st.
Vasily
Vasily is the Russian form of Basil, from the Greek basileus, meaning king. It suits any noble, king-like fellow, and Russian literature is full of them. The stress sits up front, VAA-sah-Liy, which is worth practicing before the birth announcement goes out.
- Origin: Russian, Greek
- Meaning: Royal
- Pronunciation: VAA-sah-Liy
- Variations: Vasili, Vasilii, Vasiliy
- Namesakes: Vasily Grossman, a Soviet war correspondent for the Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper. Vasily Podkolzin, a Russian ice hockey player for the Vancouver Canucks.
- Popularity: Vasily was last listed in U.S. data in 2023 at 14,046th; its best rank, 6,318th, came as recently as 2018.
Vaughn
Vaughn shows up more often as a surname, but it began as an Anglo spelling of the Welsh bychan, a diminutive of bach, meaning small or little. Scandinavian usage adds a sense of hope, though that reading is rare. The silent gh gives it a smooth VAON sound with none of the hard edges of its spelling. It is one of the few V names that reads equally well on a birth certificate and a jersey.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: Little
- Pronunciation: VAON
- Variations: Vaughan, Vaune
- Namesakes: Vaughn Duggins, an American basketball player for s.Oliver Würzburg. Vaughn Taylor, an American actor appearing in Psycho (1960).
- Popularity: Vaughn ranked 1,153rd for U.S. boys in 2025 with 183 births, down about 16% on the previous decade.
Vedat
Vedat means “friendship” and “love” in Turkish, and occurs in cultures as diverse as Albania, North Macedonia, and Kosovo. It’s linked to the Arabic “widad” and the Hebrew “medad,” both of which carry the same thoughtful meaning.
- Origin: Turkish, Persian
- Meaning: Friendship
- Pronunciation: Veh-DAAT
- Variations: Vedad
- Namesakes: Vedat Ademi, an Albanian singer-songwriter who performed the song Më mashtruan sytë on the reality series Top Fest. Vedat Aksoy, a Turkish Paralympian archer who competed at the 2020 Summer Paralympics.
- Popularity: Vedat has been listed in U.S. data only twice, in 2014 and 2015, ranking 12,000th in the second of those years.
Veer
Veer stretches from courageous and warrior to “lightning” and “thunder” in Sanskrit. It also sits inside the Dutch surname Van der Veer, meaning peat bog, and in Arabic it carries the senses of vehicle, road, and wind.
- Origin: Indian, Sanskrit
- Meaning: Brave
- Pronunciation: VIHR
- Variations: Vear, Veere
- Popularity: Veer set its best U.S. rank on record in 2025, 942nd with 250 births, more than double its showing in the previous decade.
Vegas
Vegas is the plural of the Spanish vega, meaning meadow. Las Vegas means the meadows, a reminder that the city sat in wild grass long before it sat in neon. As a first name it is playful rather than serious, and it shortens to Veg or Vee if the full word feels like a bet.
- Origin: English, American
- Meaning: Meadows
- Pronunciation: VEY-Gaas
- Popularity: Vegas ranked 5,833rd for U.S. boys in 2025 with 16 births; it first entered the data in 1979.
Veliko
Veliko comes from the Slavic “vȅsel,” meaning “cheerful” and “merry.” It also means “goodness of heart” and “sentimental”- all good things for your sweet baby boy. Veliko Tarnovo is a city in north-central Bulgaria, where Veliko is most popular.
- Origin: Bulgarian, Slavic
- Meaning: Sentimental
- Pronunciation: VEHL-ih-Kow
- Variations: Velyo
- Popularity: Veliko has never been recorded for five U.S. boys in one year, so federal birth data gives it no American ranking.
Vellore
Vellore is inspired by the “vel,” or the weapon used by the Hindu god Murugan. It’s made up of “vel,” meaning “city of spears,” which describes a place with Velan trees, similar to Margosa trees.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: The place of Murugan
- Pronunciation: Veh-LOWR
- Variations: Vellor
- Popularity: Vellore does not appear in U.S. birth records at all, which is what you would expect of a place name this rarely used.
Velnias
Velnias is one of the more foreign boy names that start with V based on myth. In Lithuanian folklore, Velnias is the god of the underworld known as “the phantom of the dead.” It’s based on the Lithuanian “vėles,” meaning “zombie.”
- Origin: Lithuanian
- Meaning: God of the underworld
- Pronunciation: VEHL-niy-As
- Variations: Velinas, Vels, Velns
- Popularity: Velnias has never appeared in U.S. birth data, and it is scarce in Lithuania too.
Velvel
Velvel means wolf in Yiddish and is tied to the ancient tribe of Benjamin, called a wolf in the biblical Book of Genesis, where it appears as volf. The doubled syllable gives it warmth that a one-word translation would not suggest. It is a heritage name that sounds affectionate rather than fierce.
- Origin: Hebrew, Yiddish
- Meaning: Little wolf
- Pronunciation: VEHL-vehl
- Namesakes: Velvel Pasternak, a Jewish-American musicologist and founder of Tara Publications. William “Velvel” Kahan, a Canadian mathematician inducted into the National Academy of Engineering in 2005.
- Popularity: Velvel sits below the five-births line U.S. data publishes, so no American ranking exists for it, Yiddish revival or not.
Venceslav
Venceslav is a mostly Czech and Slavic variation of Wenceslas, meaning “more glory.” Saint Wenceslas was a 10th-century Bohemia duke and the Czech Republic’s patron saint.
- Origin: Czech, Slavic
- Meaning: More glory
- Pronunciation: VAHN-sah-Slaav
- Variations: Wenceslav
- Namesakes: Većeslav Holjevac, a Croatian-Yugoslav soldier and political commissar of the partisan unit, the 4th Croatian Corps.
- Popularity: Venceslav has never been listed in U.S. birth records.
Venezio
Venezio was a term initially denoting a “man from Venice.” It’s also the Italian word for Venice and, though rare, appears more as a surname.
- Origin: Italian
- Meaning: Venice
- Pronunciation: Veh-NIY-ziy-Ow
- Variations: Venetziano, Veneziano
- Popularity: No U.S. ranking exists for Venezio, which has never reached five American births in a single year.
Venn
Venn was first an English surname for someone living “near a marsh or swamp.” It corresponds to the Old English “fenn,” which indicates “wetlands.”
- Origin: English
- Meaning: Fair
- Pronunciation: VEHN
- Namesakes: Venn Eyre, the English Archdeacon of Carlisle from 1756 to 1777. Venn Young, the New Zealand Minister for Social Development from 1981 to 1984.
- Popularity: Venn has never appeared in U.S. birth data as a boys’ first name, though the surname is well established.
Venya
Venya is one of the Russian nicknames for Benedict, meaning “blessed.” It’s also a nickname for Venyamin, the Russian form of Benjamin, and an Indian girl’s name meaning “lovable.”
- Origin: Russian
- Meaning: Blessed
- Pronunciation: VEHN-Yaa
- Variations: Vanya
- Namesakes: Venya D’rkin, a Russian writer of fairy tales who performed with violinist Veronica Belyayeva in the 1990s.
- Popularity: Venya was last listed in U.S. data in 2023 at 15,060th with six births, having first surfaced in 2008.
Vercingetorix
Vercingetorix means king over warriors, assembled from the Gaulish wer, meaning on, kingeto, meaning marching men, and rix, meaning king. The historical Vercingetorix led the Arverni tribe against Rome during the Gallic Wars in 58 BC. Its five syllables of Gaulish give it a formal weight. As a middle name it is a gift; as a daily name it is a commitment.
- Origin: Gaulish
- Meaning: King of warriors
- Pronunciation: Ver-Sin-JEH-toh-Riks
- Popularity: Vercingetorix has never been recorded in U.S. birth data, which is unsurprising for a five-syllable Gaulish name.
Verge
On its face, Verge looks like a pet name for the Latin Virgil. It’s actually a nickname from the Old French “verge,” meaning “half-acre.” Verge became a name for someone who owned not a half-acre but four acres of land.
- Origin: English, French
- Meaning: Owns four acres of land
- Pronunciation: VERJH
- Variations: Varg
- Popularity: Verge is a pre-Depression relic in U.S. records, listed from 1916 and last recorded in 1923 at 3,805th.
Verissimo
Verissimo derives from the Latin surname Verissimus, meaning “very true.” It’s inspired by the 4th-century Saint Verissimus, a Portuguese martyr executed by the Roman emperor Diocletian. Verissimo is also a Brazilian municipality in the state of Minas Gerais and a river, also in Brazil.
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: Very true
- Pronunciation: Veh-RIH-sih-Mow
- Popularity: Verissimo has never met the five-births threshold in U.S. data, so it carries no American ranking.
Verle
In Old French, verle means “green” or alder grove, the trees said to invite fairies. It carries the additional senses of brave man and valiant warrior, and it is the name of a village in Maharashtra. One clean syllable, VEHRL, with a soft ending.
- Origin: French
- Meaning: Green
- Pronunciation: VEHRL
- Variations: Verrill
- Popularity: Verle peaked in 1920 at 852nd and dropped out of the data after 1978.
Verlon
Though Verlon is said to mean “blooming” in Old English, it’s most associated with Verlyn, made up of the French “ver,” meaning “true,” and the German “linde,” meaning “gentle.”
- Origin: French, German
- Meaning: True, gentle
- Pronunciation: VEHR-Lahn
- Variations: Verlin
- Namesakes: Verlon Thompson, an American folk musician whose songs have been covered by Randy Travis and Kenny Rogers.
- Popularity: Verlon climbed as high as 898th in 1939 and was last listed in 2001.
Vermont
Like the name of the bucolic U.S. state, Vermont is composed of the French “vert,” meaning “green,” and “mont,” meaning “mountain.” The state of Vermont is known as the Green Mountain State.
- Origin: French
- Meaning: Green mountain
- Pronunciation: Ver-MAANT
- Variations: Vermonte
- Popularity: Vermont appears in U.S. birth data only around 1920, last at 3,001st in 1922.
Verne
Verne referred to springtime in Latin before it settled into French as a surname for a dweller among the ferns. It sounds like the early twentieth century, when it peaked at 457th in 1919, though it has been out of the data since 1990. Vern is the shorter form if the final e feels formal.
- Origin: French
- Meaning: Alder grove
- Pronunciation: VERN
- Variations: Vern, Vernn, Vernon
- Namesakes: Verne Lundquist, an American sportscaster for CBS Sports. Verne Troyer, an American actor known for the Austin Powers film series.
- Popularity: Verne peaked in 1919 at 457th and left the data after 1990; nearly 5,900 American boys have been recorded with it in all.
Vero
Vero is one of the few informal V names on this list, and it carries the sense of great hero. It rests on the Latin verus, meaning true, and it relates to the German-Italian Bero, meaning bear. Vernon Richards carried it as Vero Recchioni, proof it wears well on an adult, not just a baby.
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: True
- Pronunciation: VIY-Row
- Namesakes: Vernon Richards (born Vero Recchioni), an Italian editor for Freedom Press in the 1940s.
- Popularity: Vero ranked 13,765th in 2025 with five U.S. births, its first listing having come in 1928.
Veroslav
Veroslav uses the Czech root “věra,” meaning “faith,” and the Slavic “slava,” meaning “glory.” It’s much less common than other Slavic boys’ names ending in “slav,” like Miroslav and Vladislav.
- Origin: Czech, Slavic
- Meaning: Faith in glory
- Pronunciation: VEH-row-Slaav
- Popularity: Veroslav has never appeared in U.S. birth records, so no American ranking exists for it.
Verrier
Verrier derives from the Old French “verrie(u)r,” meaning “glassblower” or “glazier.” It was first an occupational “V” surname inspired by Farrier, meaning “blacksmith.”
- Origin: French
- Meaning: Glassblower
- Pronunciation: VEH-riy-Ehr
- Variations: Verier, Veriere, Verriere
- Namesakes: Verrier Elwin, a British anthropologist and deputy director of the Anthropological Survey of India in 1945.
- Popularity: Verrier has never been given to five U.S. boys in a single year, which keeps it out of federal birth data entirely.
Vesuvio
One of the most explosive boy names with V, Vesuvio takes its name from Mount Vesuvius. Vesuvius is an active volcano near Naples famous for its destructive eruption in 79 CE, destroying the ancient city of Pompeii.
- Origin: Italian, Latin
- Meaning: Near Vesuvius
- Pronunciation: Veh-SUW-viy-Ow
- Variations: Vesuvo
- Popularity: Vesuvio does not appear in U.S. birth records; it stays closer to the mountain it is named for.
Vetie
Vetie may be short, but it holds a lot of mystery among guy names that start with V. Its meaning is mostly unknown, while it may relate to the Latin “vitae,” meaning “having or pertaining to life.” Vetie is also listed as a girl’s name, whose meaning is equally as puzzling.
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: Unknown
- Pronunciation: VEH-tiy
- Popularity: Vetie has never been listed in U.S. birth data, so it carries no American ranking to go with its uncertain meaning.
Veysel
Though Turkish, Veysel comes from the Arabic “uwais,” meaning “black-backed jackal” or “bilberry.” It turns out wolves (and wolf-cubs) sometimes eat bilberry. Uwais al-Qarani was the first Islamic mystic whose name appears in Turkish as Veysel Karani.
- Origin: Turkish
- Meaning: Wolf cub
- Pronunciation: VAEY-Zehl
- Namesakes: Veysel Aksu, a Turkish footballer for Tirespor. Veysel Eroğlu, the Turkish Minister of Forestry and Water from 2007 to 2018.
- Popularity: Veysel has never crossed the five-births floor in U.S. records.
Viator
Viator is a world-renowned word meaning “voyager through life” and “traveler.” It was the name of a 4th-century Italian saint and originally meant “traveler by road.” In ancient Rome, a “viator” was a court official who summoned people to see the magistrate.
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: Voyager
- Pronunciation: VAEY-ah-Taor
- Popularity: Viator has never appeared in U.S. birth data, which lists only names given to at least five babies in a year.
Victor
Victor comes straight from the Latin victor and needs no translation help at all. It belonged to one of the earliest popes and to more than one Christian martyr, so it carries weight well beyond the scoreboard reading. Viktor with a K is the eastern European spelling if you want the same name with a different accent. Few names on this list have stayed useful for as long.
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: Conqueror
- Pronunciation: VIHK-Tahr
- Variations: Viktor
- Namesakes: Victor Borge, a Danish-American pianist known as “The Clown Prince of Denmark.” Victor Hugo, a French writer best known for Les Misérables (1862).
- Popularity: Victor ranked 211th for U.S. boys in 2025 with 1,664 births, down about a third on the previous decade. It peaked in 1918 at 63rd, when 3,183 boys received it, and more than 330,000 American boys have carried it since 1880.
Victory
Victory reads as a girl’s name more often than a boy’s, but it is a cool alternative to both Victor and Victoria. It is also an Anglo version of the Irish surname Mac Anabadha. As a middle name it gives a boy something to live up to without shouting about it.
- Origin: English, Latin
- Meaning: Win
- Pronunciation: VIHK-teh-Riy
- Variations: Victoire, Victorie, Victorine, Viktorie
- Popularity: Victory is the biggest revival on this list: it peaked in 1918, bottomed out in 1961, and its 2025 birth rate runs about 10.5 times that low point. In 2025 it ranked 4,347th for U.S. girls.
Vidal
Vidal is an exotic-sounding nickname for the Latin Vitalis, meaning life and vitality. France, Italy, Portugal, and Spain all use it, so it travels without translation. The stress falls on the second syllable, Viy-DAEL, which keeps it from sounding like a brand.
- Origin: Latin, Spanish
- Meaning: Vitality
- Pronunciation: Viy-DAEL
- Variations: Vital
- Namesakes: Vidal Sassoon, a British hairstylist best known for the bob cut. Vidal Cantu, a Mexican film producer and co-founder of the Kenio Films production company.
- Popularity: Vidal ranked 3,121st for U.S. boys in 2025 with 39 births, roughly level with the previous decade; its high was 623rd in 1972.
Viggo
Viggo comes from the Old Norse vig, meaning battle, and connects to the Danish Vigge, from vig, meaning war. It is also a pet form of the Icelandic Vöggur, based on the Old Norse vöggr, one who lies in a cradle. That pairing of war and cradle in one name is unusually apt for a newborn.
- Origin: Danish, Scandinavian
- Meaning: Battle, fight
- Pronunciation: Viy-Gow
- Variations: Wiggo
- Namesakes: Viggo Mortensen, an American actor known for The Lord of the Rings films. Viggo Venn, a Norwegian comedian who won the 16th season of Britain’s Got Talent in 2023.
- Popularity: Viggo set its best U.S. rank on record in 2025, 1,697th with 97 births, about double its showing in the previous decade.
Vihan
In Sanskrit, Vihan means dawn or sunrise, and more precisely the first ray of sun. It is not much used outside India, which keeps it fresh elsewhere. Two easy syllables, a bright meaning, and no spelling battles beyond the occasional Vihaan.
- Origin: Indian, Sanskrit
- Meaning: Dawn
- Pronunciation: VIY-Haen
- Variations: Vihaan
- Namesakes: Vihan Verma, an Indian actor appearing in the series Ghum Hai Kisikey Pyaar Meiin (2020).
- Popularity: Vihan ranked 5,589th for U.S. boys in 2025 with 17 births; its busiest year so far was 2023, when 48 boys received it.
Vijay
Vijay is the Indian equivalent of Vitor, meaning conquering or victorious. It is a Hindu name closely tied to Vijaya, and it has been familiar in Indian film and cricket for generations. The sound, VIY-Jhey, is quick and bright.
- Origin: Indian, Sanskrit
- Meaning: Victorious
- Pronunciation: VIY-Jhey
- Variations: Veejay, Veejaye, Vijai, Vijaye
- Namesakes: Vijay Prashad, an American journalist, and editor of LeftWord Books.
- Popularity: Vijay is the steepest faller here, down about 63% on the previous decade, and its 2025 rank of 13,771st with five births makes it the rarest of the names charted on the boys’ side here.
Vijun
Very little is known about Vijun other than it’s a much more obscure variation of Vijay. Like Vijay, it means “conquering” and is a unique way for your little one to be victorious.
- Origin: Indian, Sanskrit
- Meaning: Conquering
- Pronunciation: VIY-Jhahn
- Variations: Vijay
- Popularity: Vijun has never appeared in U.S. birth records, so no American ranking exists for it.
Vik
Vik is an alternate spelling of Vic, and both are short forms of Victor. It carries the senses of conqueror and winner from the Latin victoria, meaning victory. Three letters, one syllable, and nothing to explain.
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: Conqueror
- Pronunciation: VIHK
- Variations: Vic
- Namesakes: Vik Adhopia, a Canadian health reporter for CBC News. Vik Sharma, an English film and television composer known for Fighting with My Family.
- Popularity: Vik has never been given to five U.S. boys in one year, which keeps it out of the federal birth files.
Vilfredo
Vilfredo is the Spanish variant of Vilfred, based on the Old English Wilfred. They all mean “desiring peace” and represent a vintage, old-world name boys will love.
- Origin: Spanish
- Meaning: Desiring peace
- Pronunciation: Viyl-FREY-dow
- Variations: Willfredo, Vilfrido
- Namesakes: Vilfredo Pareto, an Italian economist who introduced Pareto efficiency to microeconomics. Vilfredo Schurmann, a Brazilian economist and a goodwill ambassador for the environmental organization Trata Brazil.
- Popularity: Vilfredo has never been listed in U.S. birth data.
Vilhelm
Vilhelm is the Scandinavian William, still meaning will-helmet. Like Wilhelm, it is built from the Old German willio, meaning desire, and helm, meaning protection. Choosing it over William gives you the same history with a Nordic accent and a good deal less company on the playground.
- Origin: Scandinavian
- Meaning: Resolute protector
- Pronunciation: VIHL-Hhehlm
- Variations: Villiam, Wilhelm
- Namesakes: Vilhelm Buhl, the Prime Minister of Denmark from May to November 1942. Vilhelm Topsøe, a Danish novelist known for Jason med det gyldne Skind (Jason and the Golden Fleece) (1875).
- Popularity: Vilhelm has never crossed the publication floor in U.S. records, unlike the William it answers to.
Villard
Villard is sometimes an alternative for Willard, but it began as a French surname for someone living near a hamlet. It comes from the French “villar” and appears in many places called Le Villard in France. Villard is also a Haitian surname, which is why it’s common there.
- Origin: French
- Meaning: Battle fortress
- Pronunciation: WIHL-Ahrd
- Variations: Willard
- Popularity: Villard appears in U.S. data only in the 1910s and 1920s, last at 4,694th in 1928.
Vilmos
Vilmos is the Hungarian form of the Germanic Wilhelm and is still used regularly in Hungary today. It goes back to the Latin Vilhelmus, so the trail runs Latin to German to Hungarian and lands on something crisper than any of them. The final sound, VIYL-Mahszh, is the one thing worth practicing.
- Origin: Hungarian
- Meaning: With a gilded helmet
- Pronunciation: VIYL-Mahszh
- Variations: Vilhelmas
- Namesakes: Vilmos Vanczák, a Hungarian footballer for the Hungarian national team. Vilmos Szabó, a Hungarian member of the National Assembly between 1998 and 2014.
- Popularity: Vilmos has never appeared in U.S. birth records.
Vincent
Vincent began as the Roman Vincentius, from the Latin vincere, meaning to conquer. It is the most familiar of the victory-based V names and has been in steady use for centuries, which is rare for a name this bold in meaning. Vince and Vinny are waiting if the full three syllables feel formal, and bearers from van Gogh to D’Onofrio have kept it in the culture.
- Origin: English, Latin
- Meaning: Conquering
- Pronunciation: VIHN-Sahnt
- Variations: Vicente, Vinicent, Vinsent, Vyncent
- Namesakes: Vincent van Gogh, a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter known for landscapes. Vincent D’Onofrio, an American actor known for Full Metal Jacket (1987).
- Popularity: Vincent ranked 107th for U.S. boys in 2025 with 3,267 births and has been listed every single year since 1880. It peaked at 58th in 1966, and more than 363,000 American boys have been given it.
Vincenzo
Vincenzo is the Italian Vincent, built on the same Latin vincere, meaning to conquer, and grown out of the Roman Vincentius. It is longer, rounder, and considerably more Italian than the English form. Enzo is the nickname most families land on, and it does a lot of work on its own.
- Origin: Italian, Latin
- Meaning: Victorious
- Pronunciation: Vihn-CHEHN-zow
- Variations: Vicenzo
- Namesakes: Vincenzo Natali, an American-Canadian film director known for Cube (1997). Vincenzo Capelli, an Italian rower and gold medalist at the 2011 World Championships.
- Popularity: Vincenzo reached its best U.S. rank on record in 2025, 674th with 403 births, up about 46% on the previous decade.
Vineet
Vineet means both “merchant” and “trader” but also points to someone “educated.” In Hinduism, Vineet is a name that represents “knowledge” for little boys who yearn for education.
- Origin: Indian, Hindi
- Meaning: Merchant
- Pronunciation: Viy-NIYT
- Variations: Vineeth
- Namesakes: Vineet Kumar, an Indian actor known for the film Vikramarkudu. Vineet Jain, an Indian cricketer for Haryana.
- Popularity: Vineet was last listed in U.S. data in 2009; its best rank was 4,560th in 2000.
Vinko
Vinko is the Croatian and Slovenian version of Vincent, tracing back to the ancient Roman Vincentius. It carries the sense of winning over evil, which is a step beyond simple conquest. Vinko Puljić and Vinko Brešan have both carried it into public life, so it is a name with real bearers behind it.
- Origin: Croatian
- Meaning: Conquering
- Pronunciation: VIHNG-Kow
- Namesakes: Vinko Puljić, the Bosnian archbishop of Vrhbosna from 1991 to 2022. Vinko Brešan, a Croatian film director awarded the 1995 Oktavijan Prize for Zajednički ručak (“Lunch Together”).
- Popularity: Vinko has never been recorded for five U.S. boys in a single year, so federal data gives it no American ranking.
Vinton
Vinton means vine settlement in Old English and can also be read as Vincent’s settlement. It works mostly as a surname now, and it names towns across the U.S. from Texas to Kansas. Vint is the natural short form for a boy who does not want three syllables at recess.
- Origin: English
- Meaning: Vine settlement
- Pronunciation: VIHN-Tahn
- Variations: Vint
- Namesakes: Vinton Cerf, an American Internet pioneer and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom (2005).
- Popularity: Vinton ranked as high as 1,203rd in 1913 and made a rare return to the U.S. data in 2024 at 14,136th.
Virgil
Virgil most likely began as the Latin Vergilius, with associations to virga, meaning green bough, and vernun, meaning spring. Its fame belongs to the Roman poet who wrote under Emperor Augustus, which makes it a literary name before it is anything else. It has the vintage American sound that dropped out of use for two generations and is now finding its way back.
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: Flourishing
- Pronunciation: VEHR-Jhahl
- Variations: Vergil
- Namesakes: Virgil Donati, an Australian drummer and a founding member of the band Planet X. Virgil Finlay, an American science fiction illustrator inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame in 2012.
- Popularity: Virgil ranked 1,417th for U.S. boys in 2025 with 129 births and is up about 61% on the previous decade, though it sits far below its 1921 high of 98th.
Virgo
Virgo is a fanciful Latin male name that doubles as one of the astrological signs. Its symbol and meanings are the virgin and the maiden, and it also carries the sense of chaste person, after the Virgin Mary. It is unisex in practice and rare in every direction.
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: Pure one
- Pronunciation: VEHR-Gow
- Popularity: Virgo has never appeared in U.S. birth data, so the sign is far more common than the name.
Viridian
Viridian is best known as a uniquely blue shade of green on the color wheel. It’s linked to the French “vert,” meaning “green,” or Latin “veritas,” meaning “truth.” Viridian isn’t nearly as popular as the girl’s equivalent, Viridiana.
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: Green
- Pronunciation: Veh-RIY-diy-Aen
- Variations: Verdon
- Popularity: Viridian entered U.S. records in 2019 and ranked 8,329th in 2025 with 13 births.
Vischer
Vischer may be a German boy’s name, but it has maintained dominance as a Dutch and German occupational name for a “fisherman.” It’s based on the Middle Dutch “visscher” and is also the German variation of the surname Fisher.
- Origin: German, Dutch
- Meaning: Fisherman
- Pronunciation: VIH-sher
- Variations: Visscher, Vyscher, Vysscher
- Popularity: Vischer has never met the five-births threshold in U.S. birth data, so no American ranking exists for it.
Vishnu
Vishnu is built from the Sanskrit vish, meaning all-pervader or worker, and belongs first to the god Vishnu, protector of the universe in Hinduism. That is a considerable name to hand a newborn, and families who use it usually mean it. The pronunciation, VIYSH-Nuw, gives no trouble in English.
- Origin: Indian, Sanskrit
- Meaning: Protector
- Pronunciation: VIYSH-Nuw
- Variations: Vish
- Popularity: Vishnu ranked 5,590th for U.S. boys in 2025 with 17 births, down about 36% on the previous decade and below its 2007 high of 2,116th.
Vishva
Vishwa is an even more obscure version of the Indian Vishnu. In addition to meaning the whole “world,” it also means “shells.” In traditional Hindu mythology and writing, the root “vish” means “all-encompassing.”
- Origin: Indian, Sanskrit
- Meaning: The world
- Pronunciation: VIHSH-Vaa
- Variations: Vishwa
- Namesakes: Vishva Malla, the Malla Dynasty King of Bhaktapur, Nepal, from 1547 to 1560. Vishva Wijeratne, a Sri Lankan cricketer for Sinhalese Sports Club.
- Popularity: Vishva was last listed in U.S. data in 2024 at 14,139th with five births, having first surfaced in 2013.
Vito
Vito is the Italian short form of the more obscure Vitalis, and it links to the Latin vitus, meaning “life” or alive. St. Vitus is the patron saint of dogs in Italy, though it is doubtful anyone called him Vito. It is two syllables of pure Italian with none of the length that usually comes with it.
- Origin: Italian, Latin
- Meaning: Life
- Pronunciation: VIY-Tow
- Variations: Veto
- Namesakes: Vito Postiglione, an Italian racing driver who won the Italian Renault Mégane Winter Trophy in 1998. Vito Dimitrijević, a Serbian footballer for the New York Cosmos.
- Popularity: Vito ranked 1,507th for U.S. boys in 2025 with 117 births, up about 45% on the previous decade after peaking at 321st in 1925.
Vittorio
Vittorio is the buttoned-up Italian equivalent of Victor, meaning conqueror. Go with the full four syllables and Vito is still available on any given Tuesday. It is the more formal of the two, and it sounds like it belongs on a film credit.
- Origin: Italian, Latin
- Meaning: Victor
- Pronunciation: Viy-TOW-riy-Yow
- Variations: Vito
- Namesakes: Vittorio Adorni, an Italian road racing cyclist who won the Trofeo de Gasperiin in 1960. Vittorio Storaro, an Italian cinematographer known for Apocalypse Now (1979).
- Popularity: Vittorio ranked 3,651st for U.S. boys in 2025 with 31 births, up about 27% on the previous decade; its best rank was 1,639th in 1969.
Vitus
Though Latin, Vitus is typically utilized in Russia and Lithuania. It’s one of many “life” based boy names with V and is inspired by St. Vitus. He was the 4th-century patron saint of nervous disorders martyred by the emperor Diocletian.
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: Life-giving
- Pronunciation: VIY-Tuwz
- Variations: Vidus
- Namesakes: Vitus Huonder, a Swiss prelate of the Catholic Church who was bishop of Chur from 2007 to 2019. Vitus Husek, a German canoeist and gold medalist at the 1995 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships.
- Popularity: Vitus was last listed in U.S. data in 2016 at 12,091st; its strongest year was 1929, at 3,936th.
Vivek
Vivek means judicious and conscience in Sanskrit, from the root viveka, a quality associated with a proper yogi. It also serves as the short form of the much longer Vivekananda. India and Nepal use it most, and it travels easily because nothing about the spelling trips up English speakers.
- Origin: Indian, Sanskrit
- Meaning: Wise
- Pronunciation: VIY-Vihk
- Variations: Viveck, Vyveck, Vyvek
- Namesakes: Vivek Murthy, the 21st U.S. surgeon general since 2021. Vivek Dahiya, an Indian actor appearing in the series Yeh Hai Mohabbatein.
- Popularity: Vivek last appeared in 2024 at 9,816th with eight U.S. births, down about 62% on the previous decade from a 1993 high of 1,617th.
Vivian
Vivian carries the senses of life and lively, and it dates back to the Roman Vivianus, with Viviana on the girls’ side. It leans strongly female in the U.S. today. For boys it is a genuine vintage revival choice, familiar to say and rare to meet.
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: Life
- Pronunciation: VIHV-iy-Ahn
- Variations: Vivien, Vyvian
- Namesakes: Vivian Harris, a Guyanese boxer and the WBA super lightweight champion from 2002 to 2005. Vivian Campbell, a Northern Irish guitarist and a member of Def Leppard since 1992.
- Popularity: Vivian is a U.S. top-100 name on the girls’ side, 72nd in 2025 with 3,362 births, while about five American boys a year receive it, ranking 13,778th for boys.
Vjeran
Vjeran originally derives from the Latin “vērĭtās,” meaning “truth.” It’s better known as a Slavic boy’s name based on “véra,” meaning “faith” and “belief.”
- Origin: Croatian, Latin
- Meaning: Faith
- Pronunciation: VJHIH-Ran
- Variations: Veran
- Namesakes: Vjeran Simunić, a Croatian football manager for NK Vodice.
- Popularity: Vjeran has never appeared in U.S. birth records, so it carries no American ranking.
Vladan
Vladan is a unique reworking of Vladimir, a touch different from Vlad, meaning “to rule.” It’s used often in Serbia and is also a nickname for Vladislav and any names beginning with “Vlad-.”
- Origin: Serbian, Slavic
- Meaning: Ruler
- Pronunciation: VLAA-Dahn
- Variations: Vlad
- Namesakes: Vladan Matić, a Serbian handball player for Grundfos Tatabánya KC. Vladan Desnica, a Yugoslav writer known for the science fiction novel Proljeća Ivana Galeba (The Springs of Ivan Galeb), published in 1957.
- Popularity: Vladan has never been given to five U.S. boys in a single year, which keeps it out of federal birth data.
Vladimir
Vladimir is the most recognizable of the Slavic V names, carrying the senses of ruling with greatness and ruler of the world. It began as the Slavic Volodiměrŭ and has never really gone away. Vlad is the short form, for better or worse, and Vova is the affectionate one Russian families actually use.
- Origin: Russian, Slavic
- Meaning: Peaceful ruler
- Pronunciation: VLAED-ah-Miyr
- Variations: Vladamir, Vladimír, Vladimiro
- Namesakes: Vladimir Kokovtsov, the fourth prime minister of Russia from 1911 to 1914. Vladimir Vasyutin, a Soviet cosmonaut and commander for the Salyut 7 space station.
- Popularity: Vladimir ranked 1,836th for U.S. boys in 2025 with 87 births, a shade below the previous decade; its best rank was 1,044th in 1997.
Vlaine
Vlaine is a name seemingly forgotten by time with unknown origins. Some think it might be a variation of the Scottish Blaine, meaning “son of the disciple of Blaan.” Wherever Vlaine came from, it doesn’t sound like anything else.
- Origin: Unknown
- Meaning: Unknown
- Pronunciation: VLAEYN
- Popularity: Vlaine has never been listed in U.S. birth data, which fits a name nobody can quite trace.
Vlastimir
Vlastimir is a somewhat offbeat version of the Russian classic Vladimir. It was first the name of a medieval Serbian prince made up of “vlastiti,” meaning “to rule,” and “mir,” meaning “peace.”
- Origin: Serbian, Slavic
- Meaning: Peaceful ruler
- Pronunciation: VLAES-tih-Mihr
- Variations: Vladimir
- Namesakes: Vlastimir Vukadinović, a Serbian basketball coach for CS Concordia Chiajna. Vlastimir Peričić, a Serbian composer and a member of the Serbian Academy of Arts and Sciences.
- Popularity: Vlastimir has never crossed the five-births floor in U.S. records, so no American ranking exists for it.
Void
Void is based on the Middle English “voide” and the Old French “vuide,” meaning “empty space.” It originated with the Latin “vacuus,” meaning “empty,” and is the most badass name for boys you could want.
- Origin: English, Latin
- Meaning: Empty
- Pronunciation: VOIYD
- Popularity: Void has been recorded in U.S. data exactly once, in 2004, at 11,586th.
Vojin
Vojin specifically means “one who belongs to the battle” and may be related to the many Slavic Vlad names based on Vladimir. Vojin also means “protector” and “peace-maker.”
- Origin: Slavic
- Meaning: Soldier
- Pronunciation: VOW-Jhihn
- Namesakes: Vojin Ćetković, a Serbian actor known for the series Porodično blago. Vojin Lazarević, a Yugoslav footballer for Red Star Belgrade.
- Popularity: Vojin has never appeared in U.S. birth records.
Vojtek
Vojtek is a variation of the Polish Wojtek, understood as a warrior to whom combat brings joy. It doubles as a pet form of the Slavic Vojtěch, meaning consoling the host. Joyous warrior is a lot to fit into two syllables, and it manages.
- Origin: Slavic
- Meaning: Consoling the host
- Pronunciation: VOIY-Tehk
- Variations: Voytek, Vojtěch, Vojtech, Woitke
- Popularity: Vojtek has never been listed in U.S. birth data, so no American ranking exists for it.
Volkan
Volkan is the literal Turkish word for “volcano.” It’s based on the Latin Vulcanus, the god of fire in Roman mythology. Volkan’s more typical spelling Vulcan also means “god of fire” in Italian.
- Origin: Turkish
- Meaning: Volcano
- Pronunciation: VOWL-Kahn
- Variations: Vulcan, Vulkan, Vulckan
- Namesakes: Volkan Canalioğlu, the Turkish mayor of Trabzon from 2004 to 2009. Volkan Gucer, a Turkish music composer known for the song “Gözlerinde Son Gece.”
- Popularity: Volkan has never met the five-births threshold in U.S. records.
Voltaire
Voltaire means determined thing, but it is known first as the invented surname of the eighteenth-century writer. He is thought to have built it from the nickname volontaire, meaning volunteer. Taking it as a first name is a deliberate literary gesture rather than a quiet one.
- Origin: French
- Meaning: Determined thing
- Pronunciation: Vohl-TEHR
- Variations: Valter
- Namesakes: Voltaire Molesworth, a member of the United Australia Party from 1912 to 1934. Voltaire Gazmin, the 35th Secretary of the Department of National Defense of the Philippines from 2010 to 2016.
- Popularity: Voltaire was last listed in the U.S. in 2019 at 14,012th; it first appeared in 1963 and ranked 3,636th that same year.
Von
Von means hope in Scandinavian use, though most people will read it as the German surname prefix meaning from the family of. It has traction in Southeast Asia as well, since it sits close to the Cambodian Vong. Von Miller and Von Freeman have carried it in very different fields, football and jazz, which says something about its range.
- Origin: Scandinavian
- Meaning: Hope
- Pronunciation: VAON
- Variations: Vahn
- Namesakes: Von Miller, an American football player for the Buffalo Bills. Von Freeman, an American hard bop jazz tenor saxophonist who performed with Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald.
- Popularity: Von ranked 2,142nd for U.S. boys in 2025 with 68 births, up about 73% on the previous decade after peaking at 692nd in 1958.
Vong
Vong is a Cambodian Khmer name meaning family lineage. It also carries the sense of royal and relates to the Danish surname Vång. Short, soft, and easy to pair with a longer middle name.
- Origin: Cambodian
- Meaning: Family lineage
- Pronunciation: YAONG
- Variations: Yonge
- Namesakes: Vong Lu Veng, a Hong Kong table tennis player who competed at the 1988 Summer Olympics.
- Popularity: Vong appeared in U.S. records from 1980 and was last listed in 1996; its best rank was 3,596th in 1981.
Vophsi
In its original form, Vophsi is made up of the Hebrew “yasap,” meaning “to add” or “increase,” and “yah,” meaning “the Lord.” In the Bible, Vophsi means both “fragrant” and “diminution” as the name of the father of Naphtali in the Book of Numbers.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Fragrant
- Pronunciation: VOWF-see
- Popularity: Vophsi has never appeared in U.S. birth data, so no American ranking exists for it.
Voss
Voss is the Old German word for fox and works as a Dutch surname too. It is better known as a surname than a first name, which is precisely what gives it room as a middle name for a small fox of your own.
- Origin: German, Dutch
- Meaning: Fox
- Pronunciation: VOHS
- Variations: Vos
- Popularity: Voss entered U.S. data in 2014 and was last listed in 2024 at 14,144th, down about 20% on the previous decade.
Vova
Vova is a super cute diminutive for Vladimir for boys who don’t wish to be called Vlad. It also means “universal ruler” and “ruler of the world” and provides an adorable nickname for the strong and manly Vladimir.
- Origin: Russian, Slavic
- Meaning: Famous rule
- Pronunciation: VOW-Vah
- Variations: Vovan
- Popularity: Vova has never been given to five U.S. boys in one year, so federal birth data does not list it.
Vue
Vue belongs to the Vue clan of the Hmong people in China and Vietnam. It relates to the Chinese surname Wu and sometimes appears as Vu for boys. It is a family name in the truest sense, carried forward rather than chosen for its sound.
- Origin: Vietnamese, Chinese
- Meaning: Unknown
- Pronunciation: VUW
- Popularity: Vue was recorded in the U.S. from 1980 through 1996, ranking as high as 3,625th in 1983.
Vuk
Vuk means wolf in Serbian, which explains how thoroughly Serbia has adopted it. It also turns up across the former Yugoslavia, in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in Montenegro. Three letters, one blunt syllable, and a meaning nobody has to look up twice.
- Origin: Serbian, Slavic
- Meaning: Wolf
- Pronunciation: VYK
- Variations: Vukasin
- Namesakes: Vuk Jeremic, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia from 2007 to 2012. Vuk Drašković, the Serbian Deputy Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1999.
- Popularity: Vuk ranked 7,163rd for U.S. boys in 2025 with 12 births, up about 64% on the previous decade.
Vung
Vung shows up wherever there are Chinese communities, Malaysia among them. It began as a Chinese surname carrying the senses of elderly man, father, and the neck feathers of a bird. Vũng Tàu, the biggest city in Vietnam’s Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu province, keeps the sound familiar in the region.
- Origin: Vietnamese, Chinese
- Meaning: Father
- Pronunciation: VUWNG
- Popularity: Vung ranked 10,865th for U.S. boys in 2025 with nine births, holding level with the previous decade.
