Valli
A Telugu feminine name referring to a creeping vine plant.
Name Census estimates that about 540 living Americans carry the first name Valli. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Valli today is around 60 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Valli births was 1952 (54 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Valli. 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.
People living today
540
~ 1 in 634,730 Americans
Peak year
1952
54 babies that year
Average age
60
years old
2024 SSA rank
#7,544
Tracked since 1920
Popularity
Valli: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Valli from the 1920s through to the 2020s, spanning 9 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1950s, with 375 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1950s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Valli 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 Valli during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Vallis live
The SSA's state-level files cover 7 states and territories. California, New York, Pennsylvania recorded the most babies named Valli, while Ohio, Michigan, Texas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 14 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Valli
The name Valli has its origins in ancient India, where it was derived from the Sanskrit word "valli," meaning "creeper" or "climbing plant." This name was likely given to children as a symbol of growth, resilience, and strength, much like the tendrils of a vine.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Valli can be found in Hindu mythology, where it was the name of a celestial nymph or apsara. According to legend, the beautiful Valli was married to the sage Vishvamitra and played a significant role in various ancient texts, including the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.
In Tamil literature, the name Valli is associated with a iconic story from the Sangam period (300 BCE to 300 CE). The epic poem "Silappadikaram" features a character named Valli, who is a chaste and virtuous woman known for her unwavering devotion to her husband.
Throughout history, the name Valli has been borne by several notable individuals. One of the earliest was Valli Arunachalam (1892-1980), an Indian freedom fighter and social reformer who worked tirelessly for women's education and empowerment in the early 20th century.
Another notable Valli was Valli Sumathi (1934-2022), an acclaimed Indian classical dancer and choreographer who played a pivotal role in popularizing Bharatanatyam, a classical Indian dance form, both in India and around the world.
In the realm of music, Valli Kodaly (1923-1987) was a Hungarian composer and educator who made significant contributions to music education through her innovative teaching methods and compositions for children.
Valli Kemp (1924-2020) was an American artist and illustrator best known for her vibrant and whimsical children's book illustrations, including those for the popular "Corduroy" series.
Lastly, Valli Akalanka (born 1990) is a contemporary Sri Lankan actress and model who has gained recognition for her roles in various television series and films in Sri Lanka and India.
These are just a few examples of the diverse individuals who have borne the name Valli throughout history, highlighting its enduring presence across various cultures and disciplines.
People
Valli + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Valli 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
Valli: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Valli?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 540 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Valli 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 634,730 US residents.
Is Valli a common name?
We classify Valli as "Very Rare". It ranks above 85.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 736 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Valli most popular?
The single biggest year for Valli was 1952, when 54 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Valli is about 60 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Valli a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Valli 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.