Given name & surname · also French
Valerie
“strong and valiant”
In Latin use, Valerie carries the interpretation “strong and valiant.”
Original LatinValeria
Meaning & origin
What it means
In Latin use, Valerie carries the interpretation “strong and valiant.”
Where it comes from
This spelling has been associated with French and Latin naming traditions.
How it developed
Valerie is used as a feminine counterpart of Valerius.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1884. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Valerie through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 273,922
- 693 boys · 273,229 girls
- Most popular year
- 1959
- 7,318 babies
- 2025
- 2,221
- #127 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +7%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 2,221 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 127 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 6.7% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 7,302 in 1959. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (297). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 226,036 as a first name in 2020; 384 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.
Valerie’s family of names
In English usage, Valerie has a diminutive in Val. In English usage, Valerie developed from the Latin form Valeria. In English usage, Valerie has a related form in Valarie.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Valerie has relatives in 35 languages. Lines run from its Latin roots to each of them.
Latinwhere Valerie comes from · 1 name
Nicknames & forms 30
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Valeriavariant · German, Latin
- Valeryvariant · English
- Valarievariant · English, French
- Valorievariant · English
- Valshort form · English
- Valoravariant
- Valerivariant · English
- Valleryvariant · English
Show 22 moreShow fewer
- Valeravariant
- Vallevariant
- Vallerivariant · English
- Vallerievariant · English
- Valareevariant
- Veleriavariant
- Valerianavariant
- Valariavariant
- Valeryevariant
- Valerevariant
- Valarivariant · English
- Valereevariant
- Valerrylikely variant
- Valerrielikely variant
- Valerijavariant · Dutch, Latvian
- Vallirievariant · English
- Valryvariant
- Vairyvariant
- Valkavariant
- Valaravariant
- Valerainevariant
- Valereyvariant
Across languages 26
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Valerie
- Jane GoodallEnglish primatologist and anthropologist (1934–2025)
- Valerie SolanasAmerican radical feminist and author (1936-1988)
- June Carter CashAmerican singer (1929–2003)
- Valerie AdamsNew Zealand shot putter (1984-)
- Valerie PerrineAmerican actress (1943-2026)
- Valerie HarperAmerican actress (1939-2019)
- Valerie BertinelliAmerican actress (born 1960)
- Valerie MahaffeyAmerican actress (1953–2025)
- Valerie JarrettAmerican businesswoman and a former government officialborn 1956
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Valerie, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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