Girl · #150 in 2026

Valerie

Valerie is generally a feminine given name, derived directly from the French Valérie. Valéry or Valery is a masculine given name in parts of Europe, as well as a common surname in Francophone countries. Another, much rarer, French masculine form of the name is Valère.

  • English
  • German
  • Czech
  • French
Current Rank
#150
Peak Rank
#60 (1959)
Total Babies
275K
5-Yr Trend
+8%
1884
First Year
2026
Last Year
1959
Peak Year
#60
Peak Rank
275K
Total Count
141
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Valerie

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Valerie is generally a feminine given name, derived directly from the French Valérie. Valéry or Valery is a masculine given name in parts of Europe, as well as a common surname in Francophone countries. Another, much rarer, French masculine form of the name is Valère.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

  • English
  • German
  • Czech
  • French

The Story of Valerie

American parents first put Valerie on the record books as a baby girl name in 1884, with 8 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1959, when 7,304 Valeries were born — ranking #60 that year. The 1960s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 21% of all recorded Valeries. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #150 among baby girl names with 2,018 births, gradually rising (+8%). In total, more than 275K Valeries have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Variants & Related Forms of Valerie

Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Valerie. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Notable people named Valerie

A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.

  • Valerie Adams (born 1984), New Zealand shot putter
  • Valerie Agnew (born 1969), American drummer
  • Valerie Amos, Baroness Amos (born 1954), Guyanese–born English diplomat and politician
  • Valerie Anand (1937–2024), English author
  • Valerie André (1922–2025), French aviator, neurosurgeon, and military officer
  • Valerie Ashby (born 1966), American chemist and professor
  • Valerie Aurora , American feminist activist and software engineer
  • Valerie Azlynn (born 1980), American actress

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Names that sound like Valerie

Phonetically similar names — useful when Valerie 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 Valerie

What does the name Valerie mean?
Valerie is generally a feminine given name, derived directly from the French Valérie. Valéry or Valery is a masculine given name in parts of Europe, as well as a common surname in Francophone countries. Another, much rarer, French masculine form of the name is Valère.
What is the origin of the name Valerie?
Valerie has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: English, German, Czech, French.
How popular is Valerie in 2026?
In 2026, Valerie ranks #150 among girls' names in the U.S., with 2,018 babies given the name that year.
When was Valerie most popular?
Valerie reached its peak popularity in 1959, ranking #60 that year with 7,304 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Valerie most popular?
Valerie has historically been most popular in New Mexico, Hawaii, California. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Valerie.
Is Valerie a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Valerie is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Valerie?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Valerie include Della, Bailey, Heidi. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.
What are nicknames or variants of Valerie?
Common variants and related forms of Valerie include Val, Valarie, Valary, Valeria, Valérie, Valeska. These cover foreign-language equivalents, alternate spellings, and short forms.

Similar Names

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Della
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Bailey
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Heidi
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Willie
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About the name Valerie

Valerie is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1884 and has accumulated 275K births in the dataset. Valerie's peak popularity came in 1959 when it ranked #60. Use the chart and map above to compare Valerie's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

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.