Given name & surname

Vaclav

“one who receives more glory”

Vaclav is a form of Wenceslas. One Slavic interpretation is “one who receives more glory.”

Meaning & origin

What it means

In Czech use, Vaclav carries the interpretation “one who receives more glory.” Vaclav is a form of Wenceslas. One Slavic interpretation is “one who receives more glory.”

Combines direct and name-family evidence

Where it comes from

An origin associated with this spelling is Czech.

How it developed

Vaclav is used as a form of Wenceslas.

The story

Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1915. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.

From dated birth records

Vaclav through the years

Babies since 1880
10
10 boys · 0 girls
Most popular year
1915
5 babies
2025
0
Outside the ranked list
2021–25 vs 2016–20
—
Too few births to compare
0246192019401960198020002025Highest share 19150.0
Vaclav in U.S. Social Security birth records, 1915–2025, per million boys born. Years with fewer than five births for a sex are not published and appear as zero. Use the arrow keys to step through years.

By the numbers

The most recent published U.S. birth count for boys is 5 in 1921. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 264 as a first name in 2020; 102 as a surname in 2020.

From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.

Vaclav’s family of names

Vaclav has a related form in Vaclar. Vaclav has a related form in Vaclovas. Vaclav has a related form in Venceslav.

Walk Vaclav’s family in the name graph

VaclavВацлавVáclavVaclovasVenceslavVaclarWenceslausWenceslas

Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.

Hover or tab through the constellation to see how each name is related. Bigger dots are names more people in the U.S. share.

Nicknames & forms 3

Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.

Spellings & scripts 2

The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.

Across languages 2

Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.

Similar names

If you love Vaclav, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.

Dutch

Ras

“level”

0Not recently recorded

>99% boys

Czech

Oldrich

“a strong and wealthy leader”

0Not recently recorded

>99% boys

Slavic · Vintage revival

Casimir

“one who demands peace”

36RareRising fast

>99% boys

Czech

Vacha

Vacha is a surname from Czech.

No U.S. birth series

83% boys · 17% girls

Polish · Modern

Valek

Valek is a surname from Czech, ultimately from Polish.

0Not recently recorded

>99% boys

Czech

Václavík

Václavík is a surname from Czech. It is used in Czech and Slovak.

No U.S. birth series

—

Slovak

Vaclavik

Vaclavik is a surname from Czech, ultimately from Slovak.

No U.S. birth series

—

Czech

Vlastislav

“one who has power and glory”

No U.S. birth series

>99% boys

Sibling ideas

Names that share Vaclav’s feel without repeating its first letter or rhyming with it.

A brother for Vaclav

A sister for Vaclav