Val
A male given name, a short form of Valentine and Valerius.
Every Val since 1882 — 7,406 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Val
Val is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #4,692 in 2025 with 22 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1882, 7,406 American babies have been named Val — about 76% boys and 24% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1956, when 253 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Val stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Val year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 22 | #4,692 |
| 2024 | 6 | #15,121 | 17 | #5,636 |
| 2023 | 6 | #15,049 | 19 | #5,241 |
| 2022 | 6 | #15,167 | 16 | #5,849 |
| 2021 | — | — | 10 | #8,116 |
| 2020 | — | — | 6 | #11,926 |
| 2019 | — | — | 10 | #8,164 |
| 2018 | — | — | 8 | #9,607 |
| 2017 | — | — | 12 | #7,068 |
| 2016 | — | — | 6 | #12,076 |
| 2015 | — | — | 13 | #6,652 |
| 2014 | — | — | 10 | #8,080 |
| 2013 | — | — | — | — |
| 2012 | — | — | 7 | #10,688 |
| 2011 | — | — | 8 | #9,544 |
| 2010 | — | — | 8 | #9,628 |
| 2009 | — | — | 9 | #8,945 |
| 2008 | — | — | 6 | #12,457 |
| 2007 | — | — | 8 | #9,732 |
| 2006 | — | — | 11 | #7,391 |
| 2005 | — | — | 13 | #6,200 |
| 2004 | — | — | 12 | #6,499 |
| 2003 | — | — | 13 | #5,865 |
| 2002 | — | — | 14 | #5,382 |
| 2001 | — | — | 12 | #5,990 |
| 2000 | — | — | 21 | #3,912 |
| 1995 | — | — | 9 | #6,383 |
| 1990 | — | — | 16 | #3,766 |
| 1985 | 5 | #12,428 | 16 | #3,063 |
| 1980 | 6 | #10,341 | 23 | #2,280 |
| 1975 | — | — | 27 | #1,833 |
| 1970 | 11 | #5,047 | 58 | #1,079 |
| 1965 | 24 | #2,535 | 73 | #865 |
| 1960 | 75 | #1,279 | 122 | #712 |
| 1955 | 73 | #1,174 | 150 | #606 |
| 1950 | 36 | #1,573 | 138 | #580 |
| 1945 | 21 | #1,871 | 71 | #733 |
| 1940 | 19 | #1,895 | 84 | #666 |
| 1935 | 14 | #2,297 | 77 | #692 |
| 1930 | 11 | #2,828 | 65 | #809 |
| 1925 | 14 | #2,607 | 40 | #1,120 |
| 1920 | 15 | #2,454 | 37 | #1,207 |
| 1915 | 14 | #2,247 | 28 | #1,261 |
| 1910 | — | — | 6 | #1,574 |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | 7 | #1,154 |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | 6 | #988 |
| 1885 | — | — | 5 | #1,090 |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Val
- Val Logsdon Fitch Physicist · 1923–2015
- Val Kilmer Actor · b. 1959
- Val Valentino Singer · b. 1956
- Val McDermid Writer · b. 1955
- Val Demings Politician · b. 1957
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Val mean?
A male given name, a short form of Valentine and Valerius.
How popular is the name Val in 2025?
Val ranked #4,692 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 22 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Val?
7,406 babies have been named Val in the United States since 1882, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Val most popular?
Val peaked in 1956, when 253 newborns received the name.
Is Val a boy or girl name?
Val is used for both: about 24% of babies named Val have been girls and 76% boys.
Is the name Val rising or falling?
Val is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Val?
Well-known people named Val include Val Logsdon Fitch (physicist), Val Kilmer (actor), Val Valentino (singer).