Valentine
From Latin Valentīnus, a patronymic from Valēns (Roman cognomen), itself nominalized from vālens (“strong, healthy”) + -īnus (“-ine”).
Every Valentine since 1880 — 8,950 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Valentine
Valentine is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #1,807 in 2025 with 89 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 8,950 American babies have been named Valentine — about 75% boys and 25% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1919, when 180 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1910s.
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 Valentine stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Valentine 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 | 70 | #2,539 | 89 | #1,807 |
| 2024 | 51 | #3,172 | 56 | #2,474 |
| 2023 | 46 | #3,472 | 83 | #1,906 |
| 2022 | 56 | #2,993 | 72 | #2,093 |
| 2021 | 49 | #3,295 | 53 | #2,520 |
| 2020 | 45 | #3,444 | 51 | #2,544 |
| 2019 | 55 | #2,996 | 62 | #2,260 |
| 2018 | 42 | #3,669 | 45 | #2,744 |
| 2017 | 35 | #4,215 | 48 | #2,634 |
| 2016 | 37 | #4,076 | 41 | #2,931 |
| 2015 | 41 | #3,757 | 31 | #3,585 |
| 2014 | 47 | #3,418 | 40 | #2,927 |
| 2013 | 32 | #4,531 | 35 | #3,182 |
| 2012 | 28 | #5,104 | 25 | #4,126 |
| 2011 | 33 | #4,459 | 33 | #3,359 |
| 2010 | 14 | #8,671 | 31 | #3,521 |
| 2009 | 25 | #5,698 | 28 | #3,822 |
| 2008 | 24 | #5,945 | 36 | #3,216 |
| 2007 | 22 | #6,312 | 20 | #4,793 |
| 2006 | 13 | #9,251 | 31 | #3,448 |
| 2005 | 14 | #8,307 | 33 | #3,167 |
| 2004 | 9 | #11,580 | 30 | #3,281 |
| 2003 | 13 | #8,473 | 26 | #3,523 |
| 2002 | 14 | #7,802 | 25 | #3,549 |
| 2001 | 15 | #7,301 | 23 | #3,715 |
| 2000 | 9 | #10,709 | 20 | #4,057 |
| 1995 | 13 | #7,023 | 24 | #3,013 |
| 1990 | 12 | #7,285 | 37 | #2,045 |
| 1985 | 14 | #5,336 | 33 | #1,832 |
| 1980 | 22 | #3,717 | 31 | #1,849 |
| 1975 | 5 | #10,557 | 28 | #1,783 |
| 1970 | 6 | #7,956 | 35 | #1,434 |
| 1965 | 18 | #3,040 | 45 | #1,126 |
| 1960 | 10 | #4,428 | 41 | #1,240 |
| 1955 | 14 | #3,214 | 64 | #941 |
| 1950 | 10 | #3,650 | 57 | #917 |
| 1945 | 5 | #5,187 | 28 | #1,268 |
| 1940 | 12 | #2,567 | 50 | #901 |
| 1935 | 14 | #2,299 | 58 | #821 |
| 1930 | 21 | #1,808 | 111 | #571 |
| 1925 | 30 | #1,533 | 106 | #611 |
| 1920 | 29 | #1,543 | 123 | #558 |
| 1915 | 30 | #1,313 | 137 | #471 |
| 1910 | 11 | #1,511 | 30 | #522 |
| 1905 | 9 | #1,410 | 19 | #547 |
| 1900 | 6 | #1,918 | 15 | #677 |
| 1895 | 7 | #1,418 | 23 | #412 |
| 1890 | — | — | 18 | #433 |
| 1885 | 10 | #743 | 16 | #478 |
| 1880 | — | — | 10 | #635 |
Famous people named Valentine
- Valentine Telegdi Physicist · 1922–2006
- Valentine Strasser Politician · b. 1967
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Valentine mean?
From Latin Valentīnus, a patronymic from Valēns (Roman cognomen), itself nominalized from vālens (“strong, healthy”) + -īnus (“-ine”).
How popular is the name Valentine in 2025?
Valentine ranked #1,807 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 89 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Valentine?
8,950 babies have been named Valentine in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Valentine most popular?
Valentine peaked in 1919, when 180 newborns received the name.
Is Valentine a boy or girl name?
Valentine is used for both: about 25% of babies named Valentine have been girls and 75% boys.
Is the name Valentine rising or falling?
Valentine is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Valentine?
Well-known people named Valentine include Valentine Telegdi (physicist), Valentine Strasser (politician).