Vale
Vale is a name with a single cultural origin: English.
- English
Meaning & Origin of Vale
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Vale is a name with a single cultural origin: English.
Origin data from Behind the Name .
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Vale
As a girl name
Vale first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1917, with 5 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2016: 49 births, good for #3,279 nationwide. The 2010s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 58% of all recorded Vales. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #8,282 among girl names with 12 births, falling sharply (-45%). In total, more than 353 Vales have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
American parents first put Vale on the record books as a boy name in 1917, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2020, when 14 Vales were born — ranking #5,979 that year. The 2020s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 36% of all recorded Vales. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #7,449 among boy names with 9 births, gradually falling (-6%). In total, more than 201 Vales have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Vale
Phonetically similar names — useful when Vale is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Vale
What does the name Vale mean?
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In which U.S. states is Vale most popular?
Is Vale a unisex name?
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About the name Vale
Vale is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1917 and has accumulated 353 births in the dataset. Vale's peak popularity came in 2016 when it ranked #3,279. Use the chart and map above to compare Vale's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2016 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- Names starting with "V" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.