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Why parents love Valerie- Two iconic songs — Steve Winwood's and Amy Winehouse's — keep it musically alive.
- The meaning strong is direct and aspirational.
- Three syllables with French elegance: VAL-er-ee.
- Val is a confident, classic nickname.
- It peaked in the 70s-80s and is due for a vintage comeback.
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The vibe of Valerie
strongFrenchmusicalelegantconfidentclassicvintagewarm
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Origin & history of Valerie
Latin valere (to be strong)
→ Latin Valerius
→ French Valérie
→ English Valerie
1
Latin roots
Valerie is the French form of the Latin Valeria, from valere meaning to be strong. Saint Valerie of Limoges was a 3rd-century martyr venerated in France. The name became popular in English-speaking countries in the mid-20th century and peaked in the 1970s-80s. Steve Winwood's Valerie (1982) and the Zutons' Valerie (2006), memorably covered by Amy Winehouse with Mark Ronson, have kept the name musically alive across generations. Valerie Bertinelli, Valerie Harper, and Valerie Jarrett have given the name warm, accomplished public associations.
2
First recorded
Earliest known use: Used in France for centuries; became popular in English from the 20th century.
3
Today
Valerie remains a beloved choice, ranking #154 in the US. 271,690 babies have been named Valerie since 1884.
◈ Sources: Behind the Name, Oxford Dictionary of First Names, SSA data
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How popular is Valerie?
1959
peak year
Valerie has settled into a steady rhythm — neither rising sharply nor fading, holding a consistent place in U.S. birth records. It currently ranks around #154, with about 1,900 babies named Valerie each year. In 1959, 7,304 babies were named Valerie (ranked #60 nationally). Total registrations across all years since 1880: roughly 271,690.
Year-by-year registrations
1880–2024 · U.S. Social Security data
7,304
Babies named in peak year
(ranked #60)
(ranked #60)
1,900
Avg. per year
(last decade)
(last decade)
19,000
Total registrations
last 10 years
last 10 years
271,690
All-time total
(since 1880)
(since 1880)
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Numerology of Valerie9
Life path number
The Humanitarian
Compassion, wisdom and humanitarianism.
Valerie's Life Path 4 is the builder's number — grounding strength into practical results. People named Valerie tend to be capable, warm, and quietly formidable. They build on solid foundations.
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Quietly formidable✦
Builds on solid ground◈
Capable and warm◎
Practical strength♡
Elegant determinationV4
A1
L3
E5
R9
I9
E5
Sum: 36 → Life path 9
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Personality of Valerie🌍
Compassionate soul
They carry the weight of the world with grace.
🎨
Richly creative
Deep feeling translates into deep art.
🌟
Old soul wisdom
They've always seemed wiser than their years.
💝
Unconditional love
Their love is vast and forgiving.
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Famous people named ValerieClick any name to view their Wikipedia page.
V
Amy Winehouse
Covered Valerie (2007), making it one of the decade's biggest songs.
V
Valerie Bertinelli
Actress known for One Day at a Time and her cooking career.
V
Valerie Harper
Actress who played Rhoda Morgenstern, one of TV's most beloved characters.
V
Valerie Jarrett
Senior advisor to President Obama.
V
Steve Winwood
Recorded the original Valerie (1982).
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If you like Valerie, you may also loveValeria
The Latin/Italian original — more Mediterranean.
Valentina
Same Val- root with a more dramatic, four-syllable form.
Melanie
Same three-syllable, -ie ending 70s-80s classic.
Natalie
Both are three-syllable French names from the same popularity era.
Stephanie
Same generational energy and three-syllable French elegance.
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Names that sound like ValerieIf you love Valerie, you might love these names with a similar sound, rhythm or feel.
♩
Names that combine with ValerieSibling pairings that share the timeless, classic energy of Valerie.
♡
Middle names for ValerieThe right middle name turns Valerie into a complete story. Explore options for first-and-middle pairings, then last-name flow.
Want a personalised middle name for Valerie? Try our dedicated generator with 1,000+ pairings.
♡ Generate middle name for Valerie →✦
Numerology life path calculatorEnter any full name and date of birth to discover the life path number — a core numerological indicator of personality, purpose and destiny.
First name
Middle name (optional)
Last name
Date of birth
7
Life path number
How we calculated this
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