Van: name meaning, origin & popularity
- Meaning
- “literature; cultivated”
- Origin
- Vietnamese
- Say it
- vuhn · 1 syllable
- Used for
- Boys (94% of all uses)
Vietnamese Văn is a common name element meaning literature or culture. It is distinct from Dutch van, the surname prefix meaning from.
How popular is Van?
Babies named Van in 2024267
2024 rank#905 boys
Peak year1882
Total US babies since 188030,949
Van has been fairly stable over the last fifteen years.
Names like Van
Variants, related forms and names with the same roots.
- Khaiopen; begin · Vietnamese
Van questions
What does the name Van mean?
Van means "literature; cultivated". It comes from Vietnamese. Vietnamese Văn is a common name element meaning literature or culture. It is distinct from Dutch van, the surname prefix meaning from.
Is Van a boy or girl name?
Van is mainly a boy's name in US records (94% of uses since 1880).
How popular is Van?
267 US babies were named Van in 2024. Its peak year was 1882.
How do you pronounce Van?
Van is usually pronounced vuhn.
Birth counts: US Social Security Administration national data, 1880–2024 (names given to 5+ babies of a sex in a year). How we write meanings.