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#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201978peak #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 1978

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #105 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 356 girlsAKMaine: #93 for girls · 15 births · 1 in 394 girlsMEVermont: #100 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 410 girlsVTNew Hampshire: #154 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 782 girlsNHWashington: #159 for girls · 31 births · 1 in 740 girlsWAIdaho: #91 for girls · 17 births · 1 in 393 girlsIDMontana: #105 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 399 girlsMTNorth Dakota: #86 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 362 girlsNDMinnesota: #134 for girls · 40 births · 1 in 663 girlsMNIllinois: #79 for girls · 178 births · 1 in 398 girlsILWisconsin: #90 for girls · 65 births · 1 in 446 girlsWIMichigan: #117 for girls · 109 births · 1 in 528 girlsMINew York: #91 for girls · 235 births · 1 in 418 girlsNYMassachusetts: #140 for girls · 41 births · 1 in 723 girlsMARhode Island: #152 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 717 girlsRIOregon: #123 for girls · 28 births · 1 in 552 girlsORNevada: #100 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 368 girlsNVWyoming: #133 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 488 girlsWYSouth Dakota: #69 for girls · 15 births · 1 in 283 girlsSDIowa: #76 for girls · 59 births · 1 in 315 girlsIAIndiana: #96 for girls · 74 births · 1 in 470 girlsINOhio: #92 for girls · 153 births · 1 in 451 girlsOHPennsylvania: #87 for girls · 167 births · 1 in 395 girlsPANew Jersey: #110 for girls · 70 births · 1 in 518 girlsNJConnecticut: #117 for girls · 26 births · 1 in 546 girlsCTCalifornia: #63 for girls · 429 births · 1 in 357 girlsCAUtah: #75 for girls · 45 births · 1 in 337 girlsUTColorado: #63 for girls · 57 births · 1 in 303 girlsCONebraska: #102 for girls · 24 births · 1 in 409 girlsNEMissouri: #107 for girls · 59 births · 1 in 520 girlsMOKentucky: #89 for girls · 56 births · 1 in 427 girlsKYWest Virginia: #82 for girls · 32 births · 1 in 369 girlsWVVirginia: #87 for girls · 74 births · 1 in 376 girlsVAMaryland: #116 for girls · 36 births · 1 in 507 girlsMDDelaware: #81 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 309 girlsDEArizona: #55 for girls · 59 births · 1 in 278 girlsAZNew Mexico: #22 for girls · 73 births · 1 in 112 girlsNMKansas: #96 for girls · 31 births · 1 in 433 girlsKSArkansas: #89 for girls · 30 births · 1 in 419 girlsARTennessee: #106 for girls · 55 births · 1 in 507 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #86 for girls · 80 births · 1 in 405 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #107 for girls · 38 births · 1 in 449 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: #125 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 461 girlsDCOklahoma: #106 for girls · 34 births · 1 in 500 girlsOKLouisiana: #133 for girls · 46 births · 1 in 598 girlsLAMississippi: #79 for girls · 48 births · 1 in 319 girlsMSAlabama: #75 for girls · 63 births · 1 in 345 girlsALGeorgia: #92 for girls · 80 births · 1 in 403 girlsGAHawaii: #140 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 506 girlsHITexas: #56 for girls · 340 births · 1 in 304 girlsTXFlorida: #103 for girls · 95 births · 1 in 463 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. New Mexico#22 · 1 in 112
  2. Arizona#55 · 1 in 278
  3. Texas#56 · 1 in 304
  4. Colorado#63 · 1 in 303
  5. California#63 · 1 in 357

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
New Mexico#22731 in 112
Arizona#55591 in 278
Texas#563401 in 304
California#634291 in 357
Colorado#63571 in 303
South Dakota#69151 in 283
Alabama#75631 in 345
Utah#75451 in 337
Iowa#76591 in 315
Illinois#791781 in 398
Mississippi#79481 in 319
Delaware#8191 in 309
West Virginia#82321 in 369
North Carolina#86801 in 405
North Dakota#86121 in 362
Pennsylvania#871671 in 395
Virginia#87741 in 376
Arkansas#89301 in 419
Kentucky#89561 in 427
Wisconsin#90651 in 446
Idaho#91171 in 393
New York#912351 in 418
Georgia#92801 in 403
Ohio#921531 in 451
Maine#93151 in 394
Indiana#96741 in 470
Kansas#96311 in 433
Nevada#10091 in 368
Vermont#10061 in 410
Nebraska#102241 in 409
Florida#103951 in 463
Alaska#10571 in 356
Montana#105111 in 399
Oklahoma#106341 in 500
Tennessee#106551 in 507
Missouri#107591 in 520
South Carolina#107381 in 449
New Jersey#110701 in 518
Maryland#116361 in 507
Connecticut#117261 in 546
Michigan#1171091 in 528
Oregon#123281 in 552
District of Columbia#125121 in 461
Louisiana#133461 in 598
Wyoming#13351 in 488
Minnesota#134401 in 663
Hawaii#14091 in 506
Massachusetts#140411 in 723
Rhode Island#15261 in 717
New Hampshire#15461 in 782
Washington#159311 in 740

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 1978

girls
#92
3,299 births · 1 in 464 girls
boys
#2,799
15 births · 1 in 109,456 boys

Top girls' names in 1978

  1. #1Jennifer56,314
  2. #2Melissa28,327
  3. #3Jessica26,102
  4. #4Amy23,213
  5. #5Heather22,270
  6. #6Amanda20,520
  7. #7Angela20,517
  8. #8Sarah19,976
  9. #9Michelle18,856
  10. #10Nicole17,279
  11. #92Valerie3,299

Top boys' names in 1978

  1. #1Michael67,127
  2. #2Jason51,600
  3. #3Christopher47,236
  4. #4David40,684
  5. #5James39,894
  6. #6Matthew34,282
  7. #7John34,014
  8. #8Robert33,374
  9. #9Brian29,432
  10. #10Joseph26,663
  11. #2,799Valerie15
More about 1978

girls

1,531,859 girls got a published name in 1978; 1 in 464 of them was named Valerie, which outranked 99.2% of the 11,475 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 16.5% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Valerie
  1. #89Robin3,440
  2. #90Katie3,426
  3. #91Sabrina3,350
  4. #92Valerie3,299
  5. #93Gina3,220
  6. #94Cheryl3,167
  7. #95Lindsay3,123
Biggest movers since 1977
Risers
  1. ↑ 4,240Aja#4,652 → #412
  2. ↑ 1,987Kiley#2,606 → #619
  3. ↑ 1,951Kylee#2,838 → #887
  4. ↑ 1,785Winter#2,780 → #995
  5. ↑ 1,620Kylie#2,026 → #406
Fallers
  1. ↓ 913Shalon#868 → #1,781
  2. ↓ 760Farah#854 → #1,614
  3. ↓ 519Tennille#462 → #981
  4. ↓ 398Shawnte#740 → #1,138
  5. ↓ 362Farrah#177 → #539

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

boys

1,641,837 boys got a published name in 1978; 1 in 109,456 of them was named Valerie, which outranked 58.6% of the 6,762 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 24.6% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Valerie
  1. #2,669Yechiel16
  2. #2,669Zoran16
  3. #2,669Zuri16
  4. #2,799Valerie15
  5. #2,799Aloysius15
  6. #2,799Alpha15
  7. #2,799Americo15
  8. #2,929Adolphus14
  9. #2,929Agustine14
  10. #2,929Alim14

Tied with 129 names at #2,799; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1977
Risers
  1. ↑ 3,237Dequan#4,164 → #927
  2. ↑ 626Nicholaus#1,367 → #741
  3. ↑ 617Nicklaus#1,515 → #898
  4. ↑ 578Zebulon#1,476 → #898
  5. ↑ 424Anwar#1,121 → #697
Fallers
  1. ↓ 674Kinte#834 → #1,508
  2. ↓ 668Kunta#572 → #1,240
  3. ↓ 417Telly#732 → #1,149
  4. ↓ 415Lesley#937 → #1,352
  5. ↓ 310Amin#904 → #1,214

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

See the top 100 for 1978 →