Given name & surname
Valentine
“one who is strong and healthy”
Valentine is used as a given name and a surname. One Latin interpretation is “one who is strong and healthy.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Latin interpretation is “one who is strong and healthy.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Latin.
How it developed
In French usage, Valentine is a feminine form of Valentin.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Valentine through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 8,950
- 6,711 boys · 2,239 girls
- Most popular year
- 1919
- 180 babies
- 2025
- 159
- #1,807 for boys · #2,539 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +36%
- Rising
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 55% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 89 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 1,807 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 42.9% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. It also appeared in 70 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (11). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 6,072 as a first name in 2020; 39,158 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.
Valentine’s family of names
Valentine has a short form in Val. In English usage, Valentine shares an earlier linguistic root with Valentina. In English usage, Valentine has a conventional equivalent in the Swedish form Valentin.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Valentine has relatives in 20 languages. Lines run from its Latin roots to each of them.
16 related names in 20 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 11
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Valentinavariant · German, English
- Valentinovariant · English, Italian
- Valentinvariant · French, German
- Valenvariant
- Vallenvariant
- Valshort form · English
- Vallentinelikely variant
- Valentynvariant
Show 3 moreShow fewer
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 23
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Valentimcognate · Portuguese
- Алевтинаequivalent
- Alevtinaequivalent
- Valinténequivalent
- Валянцінequivalent
- Валентинequivalent
- Valentinasequivalent
- Valentînequivalent
Show 15 moreShow fewer
People named Valentine
- Valentine StrasserSierra Leonean politicianborn 1967
- Valentine TelegdiAmerican physicist (1922–2006)
- Valentine HugoFrench painter, draftsman, and illustrator (1887-1968)
- Valentine de Saint-Pointartist (1875-1953)
- Valentine Cameron PrinsepBritish artist (1838-1904)
- Valentine PenroseFrench writer and artist (1898–1978)
- Valentine BakerBritish soldier (1827–1887)
- Valentine TessierFrench actress (1892–1981)
- Valentine FortinFrench cyclistborn 1999
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Valentine, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Everette
“as strong as a boar; as brave as a boar”
73% boys · 27% girls
Golden
“the golden one”
52% boys · 48% girls
Joan
“God is gracious”
56% boys · 44% girls
Bennie
“son of the south; son of the right hand” · “son of the right hand”
68% boys · 32% girls
Arlington
67% boys · 33% girls
Arden
“one who is passionate and enthusiastic” · “from the valley of the eagles”
40% boys · 60% girls
Aquila
“resembling an eagle; a constellation”
50% boys · 50% girls
Perry
“one who travels; a wanderer” · “as solid and strong as a rock”
59% boys · 41% girls