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At a Glance: Name: Vail – Meaning: submission (uncertain, from an obsolete word meaning 'to yield') – Origin: English/Anglo-Norman (surname) – Gender: used for both boys and girls – Pronunciation: VAYL
Vail comes from an English and Anglo-Norman surname rather than a word chosen for its meaning. You may have seen it explained as 'from the valley,' but that mixes it up with the similar-sounding word 'vale' — the name is actually traced to an old, uncertain root meaning 'submission,' from a word that meant 'to yield.' Because that meaning isn't fully settled, it works well simply as a short, clean name.
Meaning & Origin of Vail
Meaning: Submission (uncertain, from an obsolete word meaning 'to yield').
Origin: English/Anglo-Norman (surname).
A common claim: from the valley Actually: Vail is commonly said to mean 'from the valley,' likely confused with the similar word 'vale.' Wiktionary instead traces the surname to an obsolete word meaning 'submission' or 'to yield.'
Source: Wiktionary.
How to Pronounce Vail
Phonetic: VAYL IPA: /veɪl/
Popularity of Vail
Vail has stayed uncommon in U.S. birth records from 1915 to 2024, reaching its high point at #3102 in 2018 with 53 babies given the name, then falling to #4997 in 2024 with just 27.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1915–2024.
Make Vail Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Vail, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Vail mean?
Submission (uncertain, from an obsolete word meaning ‘to yield’). (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Vail)
How do you pronounce Vail?
Vail is pronounced VAYL (IPA: /veɪl/).
Is Vail a popular name right now?
Vail peaked at #3102 in 2018 and is ranked #4997 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1915–2024.)
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