Valjean
Valjean Johns, who typically recorded under his first name only, was an American pianist best known for his recording of the theme song from the TV show Ben Casey.
Meaning & Origin of Valjean
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Valjean Johns, who typically recorded under his first name only, was an American pianist best known for his recording of the theme song from the TV show Ben Casey.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Valjean
As a girl name
Valjean first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1917, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1953, when 18 Valjeans were born — ranking #2,516 that year. As of 2026, Valjean ranks #5,474 for girls with 7 births, with steady use. In total, more than 425 Valjeans have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Valjean first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1921, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1929, when 11 Valjeans were born — ranking #2,452 that year. As of 2026, Valjean ranks #2,471 for boys with 10 births, with steady use. In total, more than 39 Valjeans have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1920s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Valjean
Phonetically similar names — useful when Valjean 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 Valjean
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About the name Valjean
Valjean is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1917 and has accumulated 425 births in the dataset. Valjean's peak popularity came in 1953 when it ranked #2,516. Use the chart and map above to compare Valjean's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1953 →
- Names of the 1950s →
- Names starting with "V" →
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- 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.