Given name & surname
Val
“one who is strong and healthy”·“resembling a spring flower”·“strong and valiant”
In English use, Val is a short form of Valentine. One Latin interpretation is “one who is strong and healthy.” In English use, Val is a diminutive of Valmai. One Welsh interpretation is “resembling a spring flower.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In English use, Val is a short form of Valentine. One Latin interpretation is “one who is strong and healthy.” In English use, Val is a diminutive of Valmai. One Welsh interpretation is “resembling a spring flower.” In English use, Val is a short form of Valerie. In Latin use, Valerie carries the interpretation “strong and valiant.” Val is a variant of Valentina. One Latin interpretation is “one who is vigorous and healthy.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In English use, Val is a short form of Valentine. An origin associated with Valentine is Latin. In English use, Val is a diminutive of Valmai. An origin associated with Valmai is Welsh.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
Val is used as a shortened form of Valerie. Val is used as a shortened form of Valentine.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1882. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Val through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 7,406
- 5,657 boys · 1,749 girls
- Most popular year
- 1956
- 253 babies
- 2025
- 22
- #4,692 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +143%
- Rising fast
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 88% boys.
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 22 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 4,692 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 100.0% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 178 in 1952. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 7,617 as a first name in 2020; 889 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Val’s family of names
In English usage, Val is a diminutive of Valerie. Val has a related form in Valentina. Val is a short form of Valerie.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Val has relatives in 4 languages.
7 related names in 4 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 7
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 26
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 3
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Val
- Val KilmerAmerican actor (1959–2025)
- Val Logsdon FitchAmerican physicist1923–2015
- Val McDermidScottish crime writerborn 1955
- Val DemingsAmerican politician in Florida (born 1957)
- Val GuestBritish film director (1911–2006)
- Val AveryAmerican actor (1924–2009)
- Val ValentinoAmerican magicianborn 1956
- Val PlumwoodAustralian philosopher (1939–2008)
- Val Bettinactor/Voice actor1923–2021
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Val, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Wayde
“to cross the river ford”
>99% boys
Avon
“of the river”
>99% boys
Dale
“from the small valley” · “from the valley”
97% boys · 3% girls
Glen
“from the secluded narrow valley”
>99% boys
Dahl
“from the valley; resembling the flower”
>99% boys
Lee
“from the meadow”
94% boys · 6% girls
Wess
“from the western meadow”
>99% boys
Kelvin
“a friend of ships; a man of the river”
>99% boys