Vanity
Vanity is the excessive belief in one's own abilities or attractiveness compared to others. Prior to the 14th century, it did not have such narcissistic undertones, and merely meant futility. The related term vainglory is now often seen as an archaic synonym for vanity, but originally meant considering one's own capabilities and that God's help was not needed, i.e.
Meaning & Origin of Vanity
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Vanity is the excessive belief in one's own abilities or attractiveness compared to others. Prior to the 14th century, it did not have such narcissistic undertones, and merely meant futility. The related term vainglory is now often seen as an archaic synonym for vanity, but originally meant considering one's own capabilities and that God's help was not needed, i.e.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Vanity
Vanity first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1982, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1988, when 116 Vanitys were born — ranking #1,260 that year. As of 2026, Vanity ranks #6,988 for baby girls with 16 births, falling sharply (-26%). In total, more than 2K Vanitys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Vanity
Phonetically similar names — useful when Vanity 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 Vanity
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About the name Vanity
Vanity is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1982 and has accumulated 2K births in the dataset. Vanity's peak popularity came in 1988 when it ranked #1,260. Use the chart and map above to compare Vanity's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1988 →
- Names of the 1980s →
- Names starting with "V" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.