Valborg
A feminine Scandinavian name meaning "consecrated strength" or "strength of the hallowed".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Valborg. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Valborg today is around 96 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Valborg births was 1915 (33 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Valborg. 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
- • The typical person named Valborg is about 96 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Valborgs were born before 1940.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Valborg. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
1915
33 babies that year
Average age
96
years old
1934 SSA rank
#3,426
Tracked since 1892
Popularity
Valborg: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Valborg from the 1890s through to the 1930s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1910s, with 150 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1910s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Valborg 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 Valborg during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Valborgs live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. Minnesota, North Dakota, Wisconsin recorded the most babies named Valborg, while Wisconsin, North Dakota, Minnesota recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 35 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Valborg
The name Valborg is derived from the Old Norse language, originating in Scandinavia during the Viking Age. It is a combination of the Old Norse elements "val," meaning "slain warrior," and "borg," meaning "fortress" or "defense." The name's roots can be traced back to pagan Norse mythology and the concept of Valhalla, the hall where fallen warriors were said to reside in the afterlife.
Historically, the name was associated with the pagan festival of Walpurgisnacht, celebrated on the night of April 30th. This festival marked the arrival of spring and was a time for bonfires, rituals, and celebrations in honor of the goddess Freya. The name Valborg gained popularity during the medieval period, particularly in Scandinavia and parts of Germany.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Poetic Edda, a collection of Old Norse poems compiled in the 13th century. In the poem "Völuspá," a figure named Valborg is mentioned as a seeress or prophetess who foretells the future.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Valborg. Valborg Olander (1861-1943) was a Swedish writer and playwright known for her works exploring social issues and women's rights. Valborg Svensson (1856-1933) was a Swedish painter and textile artist who gained recognition for her vibrant landscapes and floral compositions.
Another prominent figure was Valborg Aurell (1860-1928), a Swedish women's rights activist and journalist who fought for women's suffrage and educational opportunities. In the realm of science, Valborg Vitting (1903-1989) was a Danish botanist and plant taxonomist who made significant contributions to the study of plant genetics and evolution.
Valborg Olander Rendtorff (1766-1845), a Norwegian businesswoman and landowner, was also a notable figure in her time. She was one of the wealthiest individuals in Norway and played a crucial role in the development of the timber industry in the region.
These examples showcase the diverse backgrounds and achievements of individuals who carried the name Valborg throughout history, reflecting its rich cultural heritage and symbolic connections to the ancient Norse traditions.
People
Valborg + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Valborg 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
Valborg: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Valborg?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Valborg 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Valborg a common name?
We classify Valborg as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 295 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Valborg most popular?
The single biggest year for Valborg was 1915, when 33 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Valborg is about 96 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Valborg in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Valborg a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Valborg 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.
Is Valborg still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Valborg in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Valborg can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are named Valborg?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many Americans are named Valborg at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.