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
American parents first put Valjean on the record books as a girl name in 1917, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1953, when 18 Valjeans were born — ranking #2,516 that year. About 27% of every Valjean on record arrived during the 1950s, its defining decade. Valjean last appeared in the published SSA data in 1964, with 7 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 425 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1910s to the 2020s.
As a boy name
The earliest SSA record of Valjean as a boy name dates back to 1921, when 6 babies received it. 1929 was its biggest year on record, with 11 newborns named Valjean — #2,452 in the national rankings. About 59% of every Valjean on record arrived during the 1920s, its defining decade. Valjean last appeared in the published SSA data in 1931, with 10 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 39 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1920s to 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
What does the name Valjean mean?
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When was Valjean most popular?
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Is Valjean a unisex name?
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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.