Howard vs Van

Baby Name Comparison — 2026

Howard

Boy #1,056 Most Popular 2 Syllables

"high guardian, high watchman"

Origin: Old Norse

English American

✓ All Clear

Boy #909 Most Popular 1 Syllable

"of, from (Dutch)"

Origin: Dutch

Dutch Vietnamese American Belgian

✓ All Clear

Howard Rank #1,056

Van Rank #909

Van is more popular, ranked #909 vs #1056 for Howard.

Is Howard or Van more popular?

Van is more popular, ranked #909 compared to Howard at #1056 in the United States.

What do Howard and Van mean?

Howard means "high guardian, high watchman" (Old Norse origin). Van means "of, from (Dutch)" (Dutch origin).

Are Howard and Van boy or girl names?

Howard is primarily a boy name. Van is primarily a boy name.