Valerian
Valerian is a given name and surname.
Meaning & Origin of Valerian
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Valerian is a given name and surname.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Valerian
Valerian first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1914, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2018, when 24 Valerians were born — ranking #4,225 that year. As of 2026, Valerian ranks #6,010 for baby boys with 15 births, gradually falling (-12%). In total, more than 504 Valerians 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 Valerian
Phonetically similar names — useful when Valerian 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 Valerian
What does the name Valerian mean?
How popular is Valerian in 2026?
When was Valerian most popular?
In which U.S. states is Valerian most popular?
Is Valerian a unisex name?
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About the name Valerian
Valerian is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1914 and has accumulated 504 births in the dataset. Valerian's peak popularity came in 2018 when it ranked #1,767. Use the chart and map above to compare Valerian's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2018 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- Names starting with "V" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.