Unisex nameCurrently #5,622 in the USRising
Val
VAL//væl//
1 syllablePeak year: 19563 lettersStarts with V
Meaning & origin
Strong, healthy (short form of Valerie/Valentine)
Val functions as a short form of Valerie, Valentina, or Valentine, all sharing the Latin root 'valere', meaning to be strong or healthy. Short and versatile, it works comfortably as a stand-alone name for both genders.
Val's popularity over time
| Year | Births named Val |
|---|---|
| 1882 | 5 |
| 1885 | 5 |
| 1886 | 5 |
| 1890 | 6 |
| 1897 | 8 |
| 1898 | 5 |
| 1900 | 7 |
| 1902 | 9 |
| 1903 | 5 |
| 1904 | 5 |
| 1906 | 7 |
| 1907 | 10 |
| 1908 | 16 |
| 1909 | 6 |
| 1910 | 6 |
| 1911 | 10 |
| 1912 | 27 |
| 1913 | 30 |
| 1914 | 24 |
| 1915 | 42 |
| 1916 | 40 |
| 1917 | 48 |
| 1918 | 40 |
| 1919 | 39 |
| 1920 | 52 |
| 1921 | 41 |
| 1922 | 45 |
| 1923 | 72 |
| 1924 | 46 |
| 1925 | 54 |
| 1926 | 50 |
| 1927 | 59 |
| 1928 | 62 |
| 1929 | 66 |
| 1930 | 76 |
| 1931 | 72 |
| 1932 | 91 |
| 1933 | 85 |
| 1934 | 70 |
| 1935 | 91 |
| 1936 | 100 |
| 1937 | 91 |
| 1938 | 97 |
| 1939 | 95 |
| 1940 | 103 |
| 1941 | 82 |
| 1942 | 129 |
| 1943 | 87 |
| 1944 | 103 |
| 1945 | 92 |
| 1946 | 124 |
| 1947 | 140 |
| 1948 | 153 |
| 1949 | 157 |
| 1950 | 174 |
| 1951 | 177 |
| 1952 | 226 |
| 1953 | 215 |
| 1954 | 217 |
| 1955 | 223 |
| 1956 | 253 |
| 1957 | 233 |
| 1958 | 237 |
| 1959 | 223 |
| 1960 | 197 |
| 1961 | 184 |
| 1962 | 161 |
| 1963 | 156 |
| 1964 | 114 |
| 1965 | 97 |
| 1966 | 83 |
| 1967 | 84 |
| 1968 | 65 |
| 1969 | 75 |
| 1970 | 69 |
| 1971 | 63 |
| 1972 | 53 |
| 1973 | 50 |
| 1974 | 36 |
| 1975 | 27 |
| 1976 | 21 |
| 1977 | 36 |
| 1978 | 21 |
| 1979 | 28 |
| 1980 | 29 |
| 1981 | 26 |
| 1982 | 14 |
| 1983 | 9 |
| 1984 | 15 |
| 1985 | 21 |
| 1986 | 14 |
| 1987 | 9 |
| 1988 | 7 |
| 1989 | 14 |
| 1990 | 16 |
| 1991 | 14 |
| 1992 | 13 |
| 1993 | 11 |
| 1994 | 16 |
| 1995 | 9 |
| 1996 | 14 |
| 1997 | 17 |
| 1998 | 27 |
| 1999 | 14 |
| 2000 | 21 |
| 2001 | 12 |
| 2002 | 14 |
| 2003 | 13 |
| 2004 | 12 |
| 2005 | 13 |
| 2006 | 11 |
| 2007 | 8 |
| 2008 | 6 |
| 2009 | 9 |
| 2010 | 8 |
| 2011 | 8 |
| 2012 | 7 |
| 2014 | 10 |
| 2015 | 12 |
| 2016 | 6 |
| 2017 | 12 |
| 2018 | 8 |
| 2019 | 10 |
| 2020 | 6 |
| 2021 | 10 |
| 2022 | 22 |
| 2023 | 25 |
| 2024 | 23 |
Val through the decades
- Val peaked in 1956, when 253 babies were named Val in the US.
- Over the last 10 years of data (2015–2024), use of Val has risen 46% compared to the 10 years before that.
- Val currently ranks #5,622 in the US and is on the rise.
Nicknames
Val
Variants & spellings
Vale