Vartan
An Armenian name meaning "rose" or "given rose".
Name Census estimates that about 169 living Americans carry the first name Vartan. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Vartan today is around 29 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Vartan births was 1988 (10 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Vartan. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
169
~ 1 in 2,028,132 Americans
Peak year
1988
10 babies that year
Average age
29
years old
2019 SSA rank
#13,990
Tracked since 1927
Popularity
Vartan: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Vartan from the 1920s through to the 2010s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 58 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1990s peak, Vartan remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Vartan by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Vartan during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Vartans live
Origin
Meaning and history of Vartan
The name Vartan has its origins in the Armenian language and culture, dating back to ancient times. It is derived from the Armenian word "vart," meaning "rose," and the suffix "-an," which indicates possession or association. Thus, the name Vartan can be translated as "one belonging to the rose" or "rose-bearer."
In Armenian mythology, the rose holds significant symbolic value, often representing beauty, love, and purity. The name Vartan may have been bestowed upon individuals who embodied these qualities or were associated with rose cultivation or appreciation.
One of the earliest and most renowned figures bearing the name Vartan was Vartan Mamikonian, an Armenian military leader and hero who lived in the 5th century AD. He led the Armenian forces against the Sassanid Persians in the Battle of Avarayr in 451 AD, fighting for the preservation of Armenian Christianity and autonomy. Although the battle ended in defeat, Vartan Mamikonian became a symbol of Armenian national pride and resistance.
Another notable historical figure with the name Vartan was Vartan Pasha, an Armenian statesman and military leader who lived in the late 19th century. He served as the Minister of War in the Ottoman Empire and played a crucial role in modernizing the Ottoman military.
In the realm of literature, Vartan Achemian was a prominent Armenian writer and poet of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His works explored themes of Armenian identity, culture, and the struggles of the Armenian people.
Vartan Gregorian, born in 1934, is a renowned academic and educator of Armenian descent. He served as the president of Brown University from 1989 to 1997 and has made significant contributions to higher education and the Armenian diaspora community.
Vartan Oskanian, born in 1955, is a former Armenian diplomat and politician who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia from 1998 to 2008, playing a crucial role in shaping Armenia's foreign policy during a critical period in its modern history.
The name Vartan has maintained its popularity among Armenians throughout history, serving as a testament to the enduring cultural and historical significance of this ancient name.
People
Vartan + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Vartan as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with V
Other first names starting with V with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Vartan: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Vartan?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 169 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Vartan going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 2,028,132 US residents.
Is Vartan a common name?
We classify Vartan as "Very Rare". It ranks above 72% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 180 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Vartan most popular?
The single biggest year for Vartan was 1988, when 10 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Vartan is about 29 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Vartan a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Vartan in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.