UK girl's name
Vy
A feminine Vietnamese name meaning "excellence" or "preeminence".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Vy is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Vy popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4843, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2010, with 5 births.
This profile covers 58 England and Wales registrations across 15 recorded years from 1998 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 80% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 58 living people in the UK are called Vy. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Vy ranked #4843 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2010, when 5 girls were registered as Vy.
- • About 58 living people in the UK are estimated to have Vy as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4843
2024
Births in 2024
4
Latest year
Peak year
2010
5 births
Estimated living
58
2026
Meaning
What does Vy mean?
The name Vy is of Vietnamese origin and has its roots in the ancient Vietnamese language. It is believed to have derived from the word "vy," which means "precious" or "valuable" in Vietnamese. This name gained popularity during the ancient Vietnamese kingdoms and dynasties, particularly during the Ly and Tran dynasties, which ruled from the 11th to the 15th century.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Vy can be found in the ancient Vietnamese epic poem "The Tale of Kieu," written by the renowned poet Nguyen Du in the early 19th century. In this epic, one of the central characters is named Vy, which reflects the significance and cultural relevance of the name during that era.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Vy. One of the earliest was Vy Quy (1072-1151), a famous Vietnamese Confucian scholar and politician who served as a high-ranking official during the Ly Dynasty. Another prominent figure was Vy Khanh (1339-1396), a Vietnamese military leader and strategist who played a crucial role in defending the country against Chinese invasions during the Tran Dynasty.
In more recent times, the name Vy has been carried by several influential individuals, such as Vy Thi Huong (born 1988), a Vietnamese woman who gained international attention for her involvement in the assassination of Kim Jong-nam, the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, in 2017. Another notable bearer of the name is Vy Higginsen (born 1949), an American playwright, producer, and writer best known for her musical productions and her work in promoting African-American culture and arts.
Additionally, the name Vy has been associated with various artistic and cultural figures, such as Vy Nguyen (born 1982), a Vietnamese-American fashion designer and entrepreneur, and Vy Le (born 1981), a Vietnamese-Canadian actress and model who has appeared in several Hollywood productions.
While the name Vy has its roots in Vietnamese culture, it has transcended borders and gained recognition in various parts of the world, reflecting the rich cultural diversity and the enduring appeal of this ancient Vietnamese name.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Vy over time
The chart below shows babies named Vy registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1998 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Vy, the clearest high point is 2010. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2024, compared with 5 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Vy by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Vy was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #4632 | 17 | 4 |
| 2010s | #4915 | 24 | 6 |
| 2000s | #4239 | 14 | 4 |
| 1990s | #3848 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Vy
- Victoria 19,582
- Violet 14,594
- Vanessa 3,696
- Verity 3,437
- Valentina 2,969
- Vienna 2,077
- Vivienne 1,692
- Veronica 1,425
- Valerie 733
- Viktoria 696
- Vera 667
- Vivian 619
FAQ
Vy: questions and answers
How popular is the name Vy in the UK right now?
In 2024, Vy was ranked #4843 for girls in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Vy most popular?
The peak year on record was 2010, with 5 babies registered as Vy in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Vy?
A feminine Vietnamese name meaning "excellence" or "preeminence".
How many people are called Vy in the UK?
A total of 58 babies have been registered as Vy across the 15 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.