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Vaughn

♀ Girl

Pronounced VAWN /ˈvɔn/High

Meaning: From the Welsh surname Vaughan, 'small; little; the younger' (from bychan, 'small'); more often a boys' name; here for girlsLow

In 30 seconds: Small; little: Vaughn is a Welsh surname. Crisp, modern, and warm. More often a boys' name (here for girls; said 'VAWN').

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Origin LowWelsh

MeaningFrom the Welsh surname Vaughan, 'small; little; the younger' (from bychan, 'small'); more often a boys' name; here for girls

U.S. rank (2025)#5902 ↗ Rising

2025 U.S. births21 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1931

Total births (all-time)≈ 1,120

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

Vaughn comes from the Welsh surname Vaughan, 'small; little; the younger' (from bychan, 'small'). More often a boys' name; here for a girl (slug distinguished; we flag the cross-sex use). A crisp, modern name (said 'VAWN').

In the U.S. it is more often a boys' name. Rare for girls, small-and-little at the root, and modern.

Did you know? Vaughan means 'small; little; the younger' in Welsh (from bychan, 'small') — Vaughn is a spelling, crisp and modern, more often a boys' name (here for girls; we flag the cross-sex use; said 'VAWN').

Overall data confidence 40%

References — Vaughan — mostly boys'; here girls'

Variations

VaughanVon

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

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If you like Vaughn…

Von— a sound-neighbor V- name

Wren— a fellow short unisex girls' name

Sloane— another crisp unisex girls' name

Bryn— lands in the same popularity range

Rhys— another Welsh name

Explore names like Vaughn

By themeuncertain unisex surname-name welsh

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Vaughn mean?

Vaughn is a Welsh surname, 'small; little; the younger'; more often a boys' name, used here for a girl.

How do you pronounce Vaughn?

It's said VAWN /ˈvɔn/ — one syllable.

Is Vaughn a boy or girl name?

Vaughn is more often a boys' name; this page covers its use as a girl's name.

How popular is Vaughn?

Vaughn is rare as a girl's name in the U.S.