Vail

♂ Boy

Pronounced VAYL /ˈveɪl/Medium

Meaning: From the English surname and word vale, 'a valley'; also famous as the Colorado resort town Vail. A crisp one-beat place-and-nature name.Low

In 30 seconds: A crisp one-beat name: Vail means 'a valley' (also the Colorado resort) (said 'VAYL'). Modern and rare.

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Origin MediumEnglish

MeaningFrom the English surname and word vale, 'a valley'; also famous as the Colorado resort town Vail. A crisp one-beat place-and-nature name.

U.S. rank (2022)#12212 ↘ Falling

2022 U.S. births6 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2020

Total births (all-time)≈ 107

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Vail comes from the English surname and word vale, 'a valley,' and is widely known as the Colorado ski resort. A crisp, one-beat place-and-nature name — rare in the U.S. (said 'VAYL').

It appears only rarely as a first name in the U.S. Rare, place-rooted, and crisp.

Did you know? Vail comes from the English word vale, 'a valley,' and is famous as the Colorado resort town — a crisp place-and-nature name (said 'VAYL').

Overall data confidence 42%

References — Vail — English 'valley' (vale); Colorado resort

Variations

ValeVayleVaile

Nicknames

VaiV

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Vail…

Dale— a like valley/nature name

Cole— a like one-beat surname name

Reed— a like short nature name

Blaine— a like crisp one-beat name

Explore names like Vail

By themeenglish short nature place-name

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Vail mean?

Vail comes from the English word vale, 'a valley'; also the Colorado resort town.

How do you pronounce Vail?

It's said VAYL /ˈveɪl/ — one syllable.

Is Vail a boy or girl name?

Vail is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Vail?

Vail is a very rare first name in the U.S.