Valerie

#127 for girls in 2025, 2,221 births · Last seen for boys in 2005 at #10,151
Given to girls 99.7% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · girls
1959 · 7,302 births
Debut · girls
8 births
In top 100 · girls
36 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · girls
273,229
since 1884

Valerie over time

girls

Rank among girls' names. Click any year to open it.

#1#10#100#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201936peak #60, 1959girls
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025#1272,221—
2024#1471,991—
2023#1441,955—
2022#1481,986—
2021#1551,840—
2020#1441,882—
2019#1511,890—
2018#1561,802—
2017#1671,824—
2016#1601,966—
2015#1711,880—
2014#1761,886—
2013#1691,880—
2012#1691,863—
2011#1591,957—
2010#1492,065—
2009#1382,321—
2008#1352,505—
2007#1442,424—
2006#1272,752—
2005#1672,035#10,1516
2004#1801,905#8,9277
2003#1711,914#10,8945
2002#1552,107#7,0559
2001#1651,982#9,2436
2000#1662,017#9,1126
1999#1592,038—
1998#1482,142—
1997#1432,224—
1996#1542,082—
1995#1492,183#7,7926
1994#1592,010—
1993#1442,175#6,8167
1992#1362,350—
1991#1342,380#5,5219
1990#1292,428#3,46717
1989#1172,562#4,27112
1988#1032,768#4,7869
1987#932,964#3,52113
1986#763,618#2,77918
1985#713,881#2,82817
1984#763,722#2,82416
1983#743,901#2,57718
1982#753,989#2,59618
1981#893,611#3,03014
1980#853,613#2,05826
1979#893,407#2,15723
1978#923,299#2,79915
1977#863,266#2,66516
1976#833,386#3,26411
1975#923,227#3,07812
1974#933,181#2,79913
1973#963,042#2,31117
1972#1003,193#2,02020
1971#1023,679#2,68613
1970#974,130#2,62113
1969#854,300#2,86110
1968#774,550#2,9079
1967#734,757#1,85318
1966#744,816#2,32712
1965#675,648#1,85618
1964#666,616#2,40912
1963#696,172#2,41412
1962#676,335#1,66923
1961#676,677#1,73122
1960#656,717#2,12115
1959#607,302#2,03316
1958#646,920#1,89618
1957#766,231#1,83719
1956#805,909#2,36112
1955#805,512#2,43511
1954#874,917#3,4526
1953#884,591#2,53110
1952#874,263#2,51410
1951#1003,559#3,7145
1950#1163,026#2,5809
1949#1083,052#2,45310
1948#1352,132#3,6685
1947#1841,553—
1946#1811,440—
1945#1891,079—
1944#216915#3,1096
1943#212955—
1942#2001,017—
1941#229752—
1940#214799#2,6718
1939#251622—
1938#267551—
1937#279494—
1936#282453#3,5495
1935#276486—
1934#353319—
1933#374293—
1932#393276—
1931#413244—
1930#451222—
1929#502180—
1928#517179—
1927#500195—
1926#534171—
1925#586151—
1924#557172—
1923#579155—
1922#593147—
1921#512190—
1920#545170—
1919#520171—
1918#469202—
1917#486182—
1916#475179—
1915#471171—
1914#550103—
1913#464116—
1912#51887—
1911#55858—
1910#63045—
1909#55947—
1908#72928—
1907#68031—
1906#73125—
1905#71325—
1904#66827—
1903#83617—
1902#79719—
1901#74719—
1900#80321—
1899#93512—
1898#71921—
1897#78616—
1896#99911—
1895#72519—
1894#71917—
1893#95510—
1892#90811—
1891#79612—
1890#79112—
1889#75712—
1888#1,2765—
1887#9377—
1886——
1885——
1884#7938—
1883——
1882——
1881——
1880——
First appearance
1884

The first year at least five girls were named Valerie! It came in at #793, and was given to 8 baby girls.


Quietest stretch: 1885–1886, when fewer than 5 girls a year got the name.

Where Valerie is popular in 1936

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 girls named Valerie, so not publishedAKMaine: fewer than 5 girls named Valerie, so not publishedMEVermont: fewer than 5 girls named Valerie, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 girls named Valerie, so not publishedNHWashington: #203 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 1,345 girlsWAIdaho: fewer than 5 girls named Valerie, so not publishedIDMontana: fewer than 5 girls named Valerie, so not publishedMTNorth Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Valerie, so not publishedNDMinnesota: #212 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 1,657 girlsMNIllinois: #169 for girls · 45 births · 1 in 1,123 girlsILWisconsin: #236 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 2,272 girlsWIMichigan: #136 for girls · 46 births · 1 in 843 girlsMINew York: #174 for girls · 71 births · 1 in 1,154 girlsNYMassachusetts: #137 for girls · 28 births · 1 in 973 girlsMARhode Island: #139 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 824 girlsRIOregon: fewer than 5 girls named Valerie, so not publishedORNevada: fewer than 5 girls named Valerie, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 girls named Valerie, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Valerie, so not publishedSDIowa: #346 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 3,716 girlsIAIndiana: #278 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 2,899 girlsINOhio: #294 for girls · 15 births · 1 in 3,127 girlsOHPennsylvania: #320 for girls · 18 births · 1 in 3,947 girlsPANew Jersey: #141 for girls · 29 births · 1 in 811 girlsNJConnecticut: #129 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 770 girlsCTCalifornia: #159 for girls · 46 births · 1 in 800 girlsCAUtah: fewer than 5 girls named Valerie, so not publishedUTColorado: fewer than 5 girls named Valerie, so not publishedCONebraska: #243 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 1,955 girlsNEMissouri: #294 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 2,583 girlsMOKentucky: fewer than 5 girls named Valerie, so not publishedKYWest Virginia: fewer than 5 girls named Valerie, so not publishedWVVirginia: fewer than 5 girls named Valerie, so not publishedVAMaryland: fewer than 5 girls named Valerie, so not publishedMDDelaware: fewer than 5 girls named Valerie, so not publishedDEArizona: fewer than 5 girls named Valerie, so not publishedAZNew Mexico: fewer than 5 girls named Valerie, so not publishedNMKansas: fewer than 5 girls named Valerie, so not publishedKSArkansas: fewer than 5 girls named Valerie, so not publishedARTennessee: fewer than 5 girls named Valerie, so not publishedTNNorth Carolina: fewer than 5 girls named Valerie, so not publishedNCSouth Carolina: fewer than 5 girls named Valerie, so not publishedSCDistrict of Columbia: #152 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 888 girlsDCOklahoma: fewer than 5 girls named Valerie, so not publishedOKLouisiana: #404 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 3,413 girlsLAMississippi: fewer than 5 girls named Valerie, so not publishedMSAlabama: fewer than 5 girls named Valerie, so not publishedALGeorgia: fewer than 5 girls named Valerie, so not publishedGAHawaii: fewer than 5 girls named Valerie, so not publishedHITexas: #515 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 4,222 girlsTXFlorida: fewer than 5 girls named Valerie, so not publishedFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Connecticut#129 · 1 in 770
  2. Michigan#136 · 1 in 843
  3. Massachusetts#137 · 1 in 973
  4. Rhode Island#139 · 1 in 824
  5. New Jersey#141 · 1 in 811

Best ever in a state: #10 in New Mexico, 1979.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Connecticut#129121 in 770
Michigan#136461 in 843
Massachusetts#137281 in 973
Rhode Island#13951 in 824
New Jersey#141291 in 811
District of Columbia#15251 in 888
California#159461 in 800
Illinois#169451 in 1,123
New York#174711 in 1,154
Washington#20371 in 1,345
Minnesota#212121 in 1,657
Wisconsin#236101 in 2,272
Nebraska#24351 in 1,955
Indiana#27881 in 2,899
Missouri#294101 in 2,583
Ohio#294151 in 3,127
Pennsylvania#320181 in 3,947
Iowa#34651 in 3,716
Louisiana#40461 in 3,413
Texas#515131 in 4,222
Alabama———
Alaska———
Arizona———
Arkansas———
Colorado———
Delaware———
Florida———
Georgia———
Hawaii———
Idaho———
Kansas———
Kentucky———
Maine———
Maryland———
Mississippi———
Montana———
Nevada———
New Hampshire———
New Mexico———
North Carolina———
North Dakota———
Oklahoma———
Oregon———
South Carolina———
South Dakota———
Tennessee———
Utah———
Vermont———
Virginia———
West Virginia———
Wyoming———

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the girls born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Valerie
Momentum · girls
Holding steady
  • 20 spots since 2024 (#147 → #127)
  • 17 spots since 2020 (#144 → #127)
  • 44 spots since 2015 (#171 → #127)
  • Biggest jump: 519 spots in 1889 (#1,276 → #757)
  • Biggest drop: 339 spots in 1888 (#937 → #1,276)
Rise & fade · girls
75 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1884
  • Peaked 1959 at #60 (7,302 births)
  • Births halved by 1972, 13 yrs later
Top of the charts · girls
Top 100 for 36 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: 36 yrs · run 1951–1970
  • Top 1,000: 139 yrs · run 1889–2025
Share of babies · girls
1 in 277
  • Highest: 1 in 277 girls born in 1959 were named Valerie (0.36%)
  • Latest: 1 in 724 girls born in 2025 (0.14%)
Era · girls
The 1960s
  • 20.7% of all girls named Valerie (56,588) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s32#757 (1889)#941
1890s141#719 (1898)#833
1900s259#559 (1909)#726
1910s1,314#464 (1913)#514
1920s1,710#500 (1927)#543
1930s3,960#251 (1939)#334
1940s13,694#108 (1949)#187
1950s52,230#60 (1959)#84
1960s56,588#65 (1960)#71
1970s33,810#83 (1976)#93
1980s34,629#71 (1985)#86
1990s22,012#129 (1990)#146
2000s21,962#127 (2006)#155
2010s19,013#149 (2010)#163
2020s11,875#127 (2025)#144

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 girls in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Valerie in 1936

girls
#282
453 births · 1 in 2,297 girls
boys
#3,549
5 births · 1 in 207,441 boys

Top girls' names in 1936

  1. #1Mary54,377
  2. #2Shirley35,161
  3. #3Barbara31,682
  4. #4Betty25,868
  5. #5Patricia23,916
  6. #6Dorothy17,666
  7. #7Joan17,072
  8. #8Nancy16,755
  9. #9Margaret14,596
  10. #10Carol14,520
  11. #282Valerie453

Top boys' names in 1936

  1. #1Robert58,500
  2. #2James54,694
  3. #3John47,683
  4. #4William39,398
  5. #5Richard33,494
  6. #6Charles29,101
  7. #7Donald28,639
  8. #8Thomas18,342
  9. #9George18,197
  10. #10David17,476
  11. #3,549Valerie5
More about 1936

girls

1,040,390 girls got a published name in 1936; 1 in 2,297 of them was named Valerie, which outranked 94.2% of the 4,856 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 24.2% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Valerie
  1. #279Winifred462
  2. #280Lavonne460
  3. #281Willa454
  4. #282Valerie453
  5. #282Gracie453
  6. #284Julie452
  7. #285Etta449
  8. #286Iva446

Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1935
Risers
  1. ↑ 3,238Shelba#3,742 → #504
  2. ↑ 662Shelby#840 → #178
  3. ↑ 600Wendy#1,418 → #818
  4. ↑ 588Deanna#1,356 → #768
  5. ↑ 546Shari#1,514 → #968
Fallers
  1. ↓ 1,028Norita#713 → #1,741
  2. ↓ 506Vernetta#974 → #1,480
  3. ↓ 461Ozella#984 → #1,445
  4. ↓ 400Shirleyann#896 → #1,296
  5. ↓ 342Idell#925 → #1,267

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

1,037,205 boys got a published name in 1936; 1 in 207,441 of them was named Valerie, which outranked 12.1% of the 4,037 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 33.3% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Valerie
  1. #3,147Zachariah6
  2. #3,147Zebbie6
  3. #3,147Zeke6
  4. #3,549Valerie5
  5. #3,549Abdon5
  6. #3,549Adger5
  7. #3,549Adlai5

Tied with 488 names at #3,549; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1935
Risers
  1. ↑ 802Errol#1,708 → #906
  2. ↑ 644Sergio#1,584 → #940
  3. ↑ 601Brice#1,494 → #893
  4. ↑ 537Windell#1,390 → #853
  5. ↑ 529Kim#1,390 → #861
Fallers
  1. ↓ 1,082Stafford#980 → #2,062
  2. ↓ 889Darwyn#750 → #1,639
  3. ↓ 461Hunter#956 → #1,417
  4. ↓ 399Orvil#844 → #1,243
  5. ↓ 370Rosendo#956 → #1,326

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1936 →