Given name & surname
Vlad
Vlad is a masculine given name from Romanian, ultimately from Slovak. It is used in English and Romanian.
Meaning & origin
Where it comes from
Vlad is a variant of Vladimir. A possible origin is Slavic, although the derivation remains uncertain.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In English usage, Vlad is a diminutive of Vladimir. In English usage, Vlad is a short form of Vladimir.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1995. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Vlad through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 543
- 543 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 2004
- 26 babies
- 2025
- 16
- #5,837 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −16%
- Easing
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 16 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 5,837 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 15.8% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 2,457 as a first name in 2020; 577 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.
Vlad’s family of names
In English usage, Vlad is a diminutive of Vladimir. In Russian usage, Vlad is a Roman-alphabet rendering of Влад. In English usage, Vlad is a short form of Vladimir.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Vlad has relatives in 3 languages.
3 related names in 3 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 2
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 16
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Vlad
- Vlad the Impaler15th-century ruler of Wallachia1431–1476
- Vlad II Draculhistorical ruler of Wallachia1395–1447
- Vlad ChiricheșRomanian footballer (born 1989)
- Vlad FilatMoldovan politicianborn 1969
- SatoshiMoldovan singer, songwriter and rapper (born 1998)
- Vlad MirițăRomanian singerborn 1981
- Vlad CălugărulPrince of Wallachia1425
- Vlad MunteanuRomanian footballerborn 1981
- Vlad IvanovRomanian actorborn 1969
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Vlad, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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“more glorious” · “having glory and honor”
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“one who is successful”
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