Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 2018

Valerian

Meaning From Latin Valeriānus, from Valerius Gender Boy · 1% girls Rank 2025 #4,526 Trend → Stable

From Latin Valeriānus, from Valerius.

Rank 2025
#4,526
among boys · ↑1,639 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
23
named Valerian
How common
1 in 74,264
boys born in 2025
Peak year
2018
24 babies
All-time total
503
#7,921 all-time among boys
First recorded
1914
in Social Security records

Valerian popularity over time

503 babies have been named Valerian since 1914, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.010.010.020.0218801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
BoysGirls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – – – –
1890s – – – – – –
1900s – – – – – –
1910s 6 60 66 7 – #1,821
1920s – 101 101 10 +53% #2,025
1930s – 91 91 9 -10% #1,926
1940s – 49 49 5 -46% #2,468
1950s – 23 23 2 -53% #3,486
1960s – 5 5 1 -78% #4,404
1970s – 10 10 1 +100% #3,269
1980s – 5 5 1 -50% #7,248
1990s – – – – – –
2000s – 10 10 1 – #13,113
2010s – 43 43 4 +330% #4,343
2020s (to 2025) – 100 100 17 +288% #4,526

Where Valerian is heading

A five-year projection from the recent trend in births per 1,000 boys (damped so it flattens over time), converted to babies at today's birth totals. The implied rank places that projection in the 2025 field. A projection, not a promise: real trends bend.

Year Projected babies Per 1,000 boys Implied rank
2026 23 0.01 outside top 500
2027 23 0.01 outside top 500
2028 23 0.01 outside top 500
2029 23 0.01 outside top 500
2030 23 0.01 outside top 500

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.

How old are people named Valerian?

The median living Valerian is about 6 years old; half are between 3 and 60. An estimated 200 people named Valerian are alive in the United States today.

median 6 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

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

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Valerian Valerian Roman emperor from 253 to 260 200–260 · Antiquity
  2. 2 Valerian Kuybyshev Valerian Kuybyshev Soviet politician (1888–1935) 19th century
  3. 3 Valerian II Valerian II Roman emperor from 256 to 258 250–257 · Antiquity

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Valerian, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Valerian?

The median living Valerian is about 6 years old. Half of all living Valerians are between 3 and 60 years old.

How many people named Valerian are alive today?

An estimated 200 people named Valerian are alive in the United States, based on 503 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

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.

Will Valerian become more popular?

Valerian looks stable. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 23 boys named Valerian in 2030, ranking outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Who are famous people named Valerian?

Well-known people named Valerian include Valerian (politician), Valerian Kuybyshev (politician), Valerian II (politician).

Names like Valerian

Names that sound and feel close to Valerian: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Valerian with similar names → More names starting with V →