Valerian
From Latin Valeriānus, from Valerius.
Every Valerian since 1914 — 503 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Valerian
Valerian is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #4,526 in 2025 with 23 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1914, 503 American babies have been named Valerian. Its peak came in 2018, when 24 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2010s.
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 Valerian stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Valerian 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 | — | — | 23 | #4,526 |
| 2024 | — | — | 15 | #6,165 |
| 2023 | — | — | 13 | #6,864 |
| 2022 | — | — | 18 | #5,424 |
| 2021 | — | — | 17 | #5,542 |
| 2020 | — | — | 14 | #6,266 |
| 2019 | — | — | 14 | #6,386 |
| 2018 | — | — | 24 | #4,343 |
| 2017 | — | — | — | — |
| 2016 | — | — | — | — |
| 2015 | — | — | — | — |
| 2014 | — | — | — | — |
| 2013 | — | — | — | — |
| 2012 | — | — | — | — |
| 2011 | — | — | — | — |
| 2010 | — | — | 5 | #14,131 |
| 2009 | — | — | 5 | #14,375 |
| 2008 | — | — | — | — |
| 2007 | — | — | — | — |
| 2006 | — | — | — | — |
| 2005 | — | — | — | — |
| 2004 | — | — | 5 | #13,113 |
| 2003 | — | — | — | — |
| 2002 | — | — | — | — |
| 2001 | — | — | — | — |
| 2000 | — | — | — | — |
| 1995 | — | — | — | — |
| 1990 | — | — | — | — |
| 1985 | — | — | — | — |
| 1980 | — | — | 5 | #7,248 |
| 1975 | — | — | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — | 10 | #3,269 |
| 1965 | — | — | 5 | #4,404 |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — | 7 | #3,486 |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — | 5 | #3,751 |
| 1940 | — | — | 10 | #2,468 |
| 1935 | — | — | 6 | #3,619 |
| 1930 | — | — | 10 | #2,771 |
| 1925 | — | — | 15 | #2,181 |
| 1920 | — | — | 10 | #2,949 |
| 1915 | — | — | 8 | #3,054 |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Valerian
- Valerian Politician · 200–260
- Valerian Kuybyshev Politician · 1888–1935
- Valerian II Politician · 250–257
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Valerian mean?
From Latin Valeriānus, from Valerius.
How popular is the name Valerian in 2025?
Valerian ranked #4,526 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 23 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Valerian?
503 babies have been named Valerian in the United States since 1914, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Valerian most popular?
Valerian peaked in 2018, when 24 newborns received the name.
Is Valerian a boy or girl name?
Valerian is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Valerian rising or falling?
Valerian is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Valerian?
Well-known people named Valerian include Valerian (politician), Valerian Kuybyshev (politician), Valerian II (politician).