Vail
Vail is a home rule municipality in Eagle County, Colorado, United States. The population of the town was 4,835 in 2020. Home to Vail Ski Resort, the largest ski mountain in Colorado, the town is known for its hotels, dining, and for the numerous events the city hosts annually, such as the Vail Film Festival, Vail Resorts Snow Days, and Bravo! Vail.
Meaning & Origin of Vail
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Vail is a home rule municipality in Eagle County, Colorado, United States. The population of the town was 4,835 in 2020. Home to Vail Ski Resort, the largest ski mountain in Colorado, the town is known for its hotels, dining, and for the numerous events the city hosts annually, such as the Vail Film Festival, Vail Resorts Snow Days, and Bravo! Vail.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Origin & history
The Story of Vail
As a girl name
American parents first put Vail on the record books as a girl name in 1952, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2018, when 53 Vails were born — ranking #3,049 that year. The 2010s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 52% of all recorded Vails. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #6,461 among girl names with 18 births, falling sharply (-47%). In total, more than 453 Vails have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1950s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Vail first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1915, with 5 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2020: 10 births, good for #7,499 nationwide. The 2020s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 21% of all recorded Vails. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2022 (6 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 107 Vails have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Vail
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Rob Eaton , musician
- Buddy Lazier , auto racing driver
- Flinn Lazier , auto racing driver and skier
- Seth Morrison , skier
- Tracee Metcalfe , alpinist and physician
- Mikaela Shiffrin , Olympic skier
- Katie Uhlaender , Olympic skeleton racer
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Vail
Phonetically similar names — useful when Vail is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Vail
What does the name Vail mean?
How popular is Vail in 2026?
When was Vail most popular?
In which U.S. states is Vail most popular?
Is Vail a unisex name?
What names go well with Vail?
About the name Vail
Vail is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1952 and has accumulated 453 births in the dataset. Vail's peak popularity came in 2018 when it ranked #3,049. Use the chart and map above to compare Vail's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2018 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- Names starting with "V" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.