Valary
A feminine given name derived from the Latin word "valere", meaning strong or healthy.
Name Census estimates that about 79 living Americans carry the first name Valary. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Valary today is around 41 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Valary births was 1964 (10 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Valary. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Valary. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
79
~ 1 in 4,338,663 Americans
Peak year
1964
10 babies that year
Average age
41
years old
2010 SSA rank
#16,860
Tracked since 1949
Popularity
Valary: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Valary from the 1940s through to the 2010s, spanning 8 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 20 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1960s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Valary by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Valary during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Valary
The name Valary traces its origins back to ancient Rome and the Latin word "valere," which means "to be strong" or "to be well." It was initially used as a masculine name, derived from the Roman family name Valerius. During the Roman era, the name Valerius was associated with strength, health, and vigor.
In the Middle Ages, the name Valary emerged as a feminine form of the name Valerius. It gained popularity across Europe, particularly in France and England. The French variation, "Valerie," became a common name for girls, while Valary remained a less common but distinct spelling.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Valary can be found in the 12th-century chronicle of the Norman historian, Robert de Torigni. He documented a noblewoman named Valary who lived in Normandy during that time period.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Valary. One of the earliest was Valary of Leuconay (1135-1201), a French abbess and founder of the Cistercian monastery of Notre-Dame de la Trappe. She played a significant role in the religious life of medieval France.
Another notable figure was Valary Jameray-Duval (1695-1775), a French painter and engraver known for his portraits and historical paintings. His works are displayed in museums across Europe.
In the 19th century, Valary Cécile Fabre (1827-1861) was a French author and poet who wrote under the pen name "Cécile Fée." She gained recognition for her poetic works, including "Fleurs de l'Ame" and "Poésies Nouvelles."
In the world of classical music, Valary Gergiev (born 1953) is a renowned Russian conductor and opera company director. He has served as the artistic director of the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg since 1988 and has conducted orchestras around the globe.
Another notable bearer of the name Valary is Valary Vazquez (born 1982), a Puerto Rican-American actress best known for her roles in television shows like "How to Get Away with Murder" and "The Rookie."
While these are just a few examples, the name Valary has been carried by individuals from various backgrounds and time periods, reflecting its enduring appeal and rich historical roots.
People
Valary + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Valary as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with V
Other first names starting with V with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Valary: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Valary?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 79 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Valary going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 4,338,663 US residents.
Is Valary a common name?
We classify Valary as "Very Rare". It ranks above 61.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 88 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Valary most popular?
The single biggest year for Valary was 1964, when 10 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Valary is about 41 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Valary a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Valary in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.